Actor Trisha Krishnan, through her lawyer Nityaesh Natraj, issued a legal notice on Monday, February 16, asking politicians to stop dragging her name into political sparring, after a derogatory remark by Tamil Nadu BJP president Nainar Nagendran triggered widespread criticism and a broader debate on sexism in political discourse.
The controversy began when Nagendran questioned Vijay’s political experience while responding to his recent rally in Salem district. Vijay, the chief of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), had claimed that his offer of an alliance had unsettled political parties in the state.
While attacking Vijay, Nagendran invoked Trisha’s name in a personal remark. “Poor him, he does not have any political experience. He should first come out of Trisha’s house… only then will he learn the ground realities,” he said.
The comment drew immediate attention for pulling a woman with no role in the political exchange into a personal attack on a male political rival.
In response, Trisha, through her lawyer Nityaesh Natraj, issued a legal notice asking politicians not to drag her name into political sparring. The notice said that she “never expected that such a distasteful and inappropriate remark would be made by a person holding a high stature in the State’s political space.”
The statement made it clear that she is not affiliated with any political party and has consistently maintained a neutral position on politics. “My client wishes to be defined only by her craft and not by any alleged political alignment,” it said, adding that personal lives should not be made the subject of public commentary and that those holding public office are expected to exercise responsibility and restraint.
Nagendran’s remark triggered widespread criticism on social media, with many users pointing out that Trisha had no role in the political exchange and was dragged only to undermine a male political rival. Several said the remark reflected a familiar pattern in politics, where women are pulled into battles through insinuations about their personal lives, especially when such remarks come from senior leaders.
Others also noted that when such comments come from senior political leaders, they help normalise a political culture that treats women as fair targets for ridicule, in turn reinforcing a hostile environment for women both within formal politics and for those watching from the outside.