Actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut has criticised the practice of attacking women through character assassination, citing the recent controversy surrounding Tamil actor Trisha Krishnan.
Speaking to reporters in Kullu after chairing a District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting, Kangana said women in public life are frequently targeted when attempts are made to undermine them.
Without directly naming Trisha, Kangana referred to the controversy in Tamil Nadu and said that when a relationship involves two people, the woman often ends up facing the bulk of the abuse and character attacks.
Her comments came shortly after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay spoke in the state Assembly against personal attacks, derogatory language and double-meaning remarks directed at women.
Vijay said political criticism is part of democratic discourse but argued that it should not cross the line into personal attacks or degrading comments about women. He also warned that insulting women could invite legal action.
The controversy follows remarks attributed to DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin during a Cauvery-related political gathering. The remarks were widely interpreted as an offensive reference to Trisha after supporters reportedly chanted the actor's name. Udhayanidhi has denied making an objectionable remark about her, while the DMK has argued that the comments were edited or misrepresented.
Kangana also referred more broadly to the treatment of successful women, actors and politicians, arguing that character attacks are not restricted to India and remain a wider social problem.
The BJP MP, who portrayed former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in the film Thalaivii, also referred to the humiliation faced by women in political life. She questioned whether society genuinely respects women if their personal lives are repeatedly used as a tool to attack them.
The issue has therefore expanded beyond the original controversy, sparking a wider debate over political discourse, women's dignity and the use of personal allegations in public life.
