Singer-voice actress Chinmayi Sripaada on Wednesday slammed actor Sivaji for his remarks on the mobbing of actress Nidhhi Agerwal during a song launch for the upcoming Prabhas-starrer The Raja Saab at Lulu Mall in Hyderabad.
Sivaji's comments at a recent event suggested that Nidhhi's dress “invited” the mob frenzy she faced. His words sparked online backlash, with Sripaada calling out the actor for victim-blaming.
“He is literally blaming a female actor for getting groped by a mob of men in Lulu Mall at her own film’s release. And her clothes,” she wrote on X, sharing a clip from the event attended by Sivaji.
“The more he speaks the more he is exposing how misogynistic, unsafe this space is for women who work with men like him, where they justify barbaric behavior of men,” she added.
Several X users also came out in support of Agerwal. They echoed Sripaada’s criticism of Sivaji. “He will not condemn the men who harassed the actresses because the film industry is thriving because of those mob like men,” wrote an X user. “That calm demeanor he’s putting on while preaching this nonsense is honestly more chilling,” commented another.
According to media reports, Agerwal also responded to Sivaji’s remarks. “Blaming the victim is called manipulation," Nidhhi Agerwal wrote on her Instagram story without naming anyone.
However, by the time The Telegraph Online published the report on Thursday, the actress’s Instagram story had disappeared.
Sivaji later posted an apology video on X.
According to media reports, The Raja Saab song launch programme in Hyderabad last week turned chaotic after Agerwal was mobbed while leaving the premises, with dozens of men lunging at her in an attempt to click photographs and take selfies. This prompted the Hyderabad police to file a case against the mall and the event organiser.
Days after Agerwal was mobbed in Hyderabad, actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu faced a similar ordeal in the city. As Samantha exited the event venue and walked towards her car, fans surrounded her, making it difficult for her to walk without the help of security. Samantha has not yet issued any statement about the incident.