Niddhi Agerwal claps back at actor Sivaji’s comments: – Firstpost

Actress Nidhhi Agerwal has responded to the comments made by Telugu actor Sivaji after the recent promotional event in Hyderabad where she was mobbed by an unruly crowd. The incident, captured on video and widely shared online, showed Agerwal trying to make her way through a dense group of people as fans surged toward her, an experience she later described as deeply unsettling.

The controversy escalated when Telugu actor Sivaji appeared to link the crowd reaction to Agerwal’s attire, suggesting that women’s choice of clothing might contribute to such situations. His remarks drew immediate backlash, with critics saying they shifted focus away from the real issues of respect, safety and accountability at public events. In response, Agerwal shared a post on Instagram with a powerful caption that struck at the heart of the debate – “Blaming the victim is manipulation.” She did not name anyone in the post. Here is a screenshot:

What were Sivaji’s comments

Actor Sivaji, during a pre-release event of Dhandoraa, had said, “I want to advise heroines not to wear whatever they feel like when going out, because you will bear the consequences of it. Em anukovoddu amma heroines andaru. Miru anukunna naku poyedi em le, laagi peekutamu manam. Adi vere vishyam. (Don’t mind me saying this, heroines. Even if you mind, I don’t care because I’ll slap back).”  

He further claimed, “Saamaanu kanabade dantlo em undadu amma (Clothes that show your assets don’t do anything). Whenever you wear revealing clothes, people will smile. But they’ll think you’re a wretched woman. And if they say it out loud, you’ll bring up freedom for women. There should be a limit to glamour. Your freedom is a privilege, don’t lose it.”

He received massive flak for the comments and had to hold a press conference to aplogise. However, he maintained the stance that women need to dress modestly to not be mobbed. hen it was pointed out that Samantha wore a saree at the event where she was mobbed, Sivaji claimed, “Samantha had the advantage; she was luckily in a saree. Gen Z do not know better, they want to touch artists. Even Sridevi was once touched in Tenali when she was shooting there. I am not blaming Samantha or Nidhhi for it. All I am saying is, they need to be careful. What if Nidhhi’s clothes had slipped? Nobody would even remove the video if we asked them to.”

He even added,  “A lot of people asked on social media if anyone ever touched Sai Pallavi, Anushka, Soundarya, Bhumika, or Laya and Meera Jasmine? They all dress modestly. Do not provoke; men will feel like they can touch you when you do so. Why give them that opportunity? Dress however you feel like, but I am just pointing out facts.”

He faced flak for the comments. Responding to the criticism, Sivaji later issued a clarification on social media, saying he had “used unguarded words” and expressing regret for the way his comments were interpreted, while maintaining he meant to emphasise safety concerns. Meanwhile, the Telangana State Commission for Women has reportedly taken note of the incident and is expected to address the larger issues of crowd management and the treatment of female celebrities at public appearances.

The mobbing incidents

Actress Niddhi Agerwal was mobbed at a song launch event of her upcoming film, The Raja Saab, in Hyderabad’s Lulu Mall. Videos captured at the event showed the actress struggling to get into her car as several people tried to get too close to her and touch her.

Actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu also faced a similar situation at a store launch in Hyderabad. Footage from the event captured the situation quickly turning chaotic, with the crowd surging toward her despite security personnel struggling to keep them at bay. The actress was seen hurriedly making her way to her car, nearly stumbling over her saree, as men around her shouted and attempted to push forward for photographs.