“I have a clear idea of what I am,” said award-winning Malayalam actor Indrans in response to a Kerala Minister’s derogatory remark on his height. On being compared to actor Amitabh Bachchan, Indrans said, “It is true that I do not have the height of Amitabh Bachchan,” adding that the Bollywood actor’s clothes wouldn’t suit him. He told the media that he was not hurt by the Minister’s comment.
The derogatory reference to his height was made in the Legislative Assembly by VN Vasavan, Minister of Cultural Affairs in Kerala, while commenting on the Congress’s lack of political growth on Monday, December 12. He said, “The Congress party, which was once as tall as Hindi film actor Amitabh Bachchan, is now reduced to the height of Malayalam actor Indrans.” The comments were expunged after the Opposition took it up with Speaker N Shamseer. By then, the Minister, who had made the statement as a ‘joke', had also requested that it be expunged.
Vasavan’s body shaming comments have come at a time when another Minister in the cabinet has been speaking against it. Minister V Sivankutty had only last month shared a long account about being a victim of body shaming, advocating for awareness against it to be a part of the school syllabus.
Hours after the comment was made, actor and activist Maala Parvathi posted on Facebook that Indrans was immeasurably tall and that no one has found a tool to measure his height.
Indrans, who began as a comedian doing minor roles, has in the last several years essayed a number of noticeable roles. Lead characters among them have won him awards at prestigious festivals and also the State Award in 2018.
VN Vasavan, who is also the Minister of Cooperation, was speaking on the Kerala Cooperative Societies Bill in the Assembly when he made the demeaning comparison. He assumed office in July this year, after his predecessor Saji Cherian was forced to resign over a controversial comment on the Constitution.