Actor Aishwarya Lekshmi has addressed the criticism she faced after netizens objected to one of her outfits at a diamond jewellery exhibition in May. The actor faced immediate online backlash as many questioned if her outfit was appropriate. In a new interview, Aishwarya said that she felt uncomfortable at the event, mainly because the photographers were not focusing on her face, but were instead clicking her from weird angles. She also questioned why the conversation around culture is limited to a woman’s cleavage.

In a chat with Rajini Haridas, Aishwarya recalled how the photographers at the event made her feel uncomfortable. “They were not focusing on my face. I did get uncomfortable, and when you get uncomfortable, your body language changes as well. I felt like my personal boundaries were violated,” Aishwarya Lekshmi said.

She said that while netizens could catch her discomfort, they failed to understand that she wasn’t uncomfortable in her outfit, but was made to feel that way because of the behaviour of the people at the event, as cameras were being pointed towards her from objectionable angles.

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Aishwarya Lekshmi said she saw the social media comments that followed the event and recalled the specific criticisms directed at her. “People were like, ‘Why is she getting awkward? Why is she covering her neckline? Why choose a dress like that if it is so uncomfortable?'” she said.

She addressed the criticism, and said, “Is culture only in a woman’s cleavage or the length of her dress? It is also in the way we behave, right?” she said. “There is little policing of people who make inappropriate remarks about women. But a woman should always be mindful about her cleavage and how she dresses.”

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Aishwarya Lekshmi said her initial reaction to the trolling was to laugh it off. For the first 24 hours, she did not take it seriously. But as the days passed and the volume of discussion grew, her response shifted.

“For the first 24 hours since the trolling started, I laughed about it. But as time went by, I was shook by the amount of discussions it was shaping into,” she said. “Why can’t we discuss our GDP, or how many old parents are being abandoned? Why should my cleavage be subjected to such intense discussion?”

Kriti Sanon faced criticism for her outfit

Just a few weeks ago, Bollywood actor Kriti Sanon faced a remarkably similar backlash over a Raksha Bandhan advertisement for a jewellery brand. Kriti’s outfit in the ad received significant backlash and the brand eventually pulled the ad down. A day before the ad was pulled down, Kriti posted a note on social media saying, “Ethnic fashion has evolved over the years, but still a woman’s respect for her culture is measured with just her clothes! Culture and traditions are in her heart, not in her neckline.”

Who is Aishwarya Lekshmi?

Aishwarya Lekshmi gave up a medical career to pursue acting, debuting with the 2017 Malayalam film Njandukalude Nattil Oridavela. Her breakthrough came with Mayaanadhi opposite Tovino Thomas, followed by Varathan with Fahadh Faasil. She expanded into Tamil cinema with Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan franchise, which remains her highest-grossing release. Her filmography across both languages includes Ammu, Kumari, Gatta Kusthi, Hello Mummy, and Maaman with Soori.

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Her latest release is a Malayalam film Aasha, alongside Urvashi and Joju George, which released on September 11.