Actress Gouri G Kishan has appealed to her supporters not to target or harass the YouTuber involved in a recent body-shaming incident during a Chennai press conference, saying the episode should instead serve as a reminder to encourage empathy and respect in public interactions.

The Master actress issued a statement on Saturday following widespread attention to the November 6 exchange, in which a vlogger asked her an “irrelevant” question about her weight during promotions for her upcoming Tamil film Others.

“Comments or questions — direct or indirect — that target a person’s body or appearance are inappropriate in any context,” Kishan said. “But I also want to be clear this is not an invitation to target or harass the individual involved. Let’s use this moment instead to move forward with greater empathy, sensitivity, and respect on all sides.”

Kishan said she stood her ground because it was important “not only for myself but for anyone who has faced the same.” She described the incident as part of a larger problem of normalising body shaming while perpetuating unrealistic beauty standards.

The actress, who was visibly upset at the event, had earlier responded sharply to the question, saying, “How does my weight concern you in any way? My weight is my choice and it does not concern my talent.”

The Chennai Press Club, AMMA Association (Malayalam Film Industry), and South India Nadigar Sangam have all issued statements supporting Kishan and condemning the incident. The actress thanked the organisations, the media, and the public for their “overwhelming and humbling” support.

“I hope this will be a reminder to anyone who has felt this way that we are allowed to speak up, express our discomfort, and question when wronged,” she added.

Several industry figures, including singer Chinmayi Sripaada, actor Aditya Madhavan, and filmmaker Pa Ranjith, have backed Kishan’s stance.

Gouri G Kishan is known for her performances in 96 (2018), Margamkali (2019), Master (2021), and Sridevi Shoban Babu (2023).