Nithya Menen On Objectification Of Women In Films: ‘It Is Not Limited To South Cinema Alone’

Nithya Menen has neither watched “Peddi” nor is she aware of the recent controversy surrounding the portrayal of the female lead, Janhvi Kapoor, with viewers accusing the makers of objectifying her. While Menen has a strong opinion against objectifying female actors in movies, she strongly defends the South Indian film industry. “I don’t think we can isolate and say that this only happens in South Indian cinema. That is not true. I feel it’s everywhere. It’s a trend and everybody follows it,” she opines.

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Nityha, who has been part of films like “Idli Kadai,” “Kadhalikka Neramillai” and “Thalaivan Thalaivii,” is quick to point out the flaws in the system. She says, “I feel the root of the problem lies in the hyper-commercialization of cinema. Whatever works commercially and titillates the audience is often indulged in for mass success. Is it too much? Absolutely. I wonder if actors should actually have better boundaries and the person who’s performing the scene should be able to put their foot down and say they are not okay with being objectified.”

Nithya emphasizes the importance of having a clear game plan in such situations. She shares, “I think it is important for an actress to have strong convictions. I can’t imagine anybody telling me to do something because it’s already established. I would not do certain roles or scenes. It depends on what your priorities are and what you think your responsibility is as an actor or artist.”

She believes it is important for a female actor to make her intentions clear from the outset. “If you have been doing this kind of commercial cinema and suddenly you are not okay with it, you may not be taken seriously. I also don’t believe that you end up helpless in a situation. You can assert yourself. It depends on what that person’s priority is. Are there films that I don’t get to do or genres that I don’t get to do because I don’t do certain kinds of stuff? Yes. But I am okay with it because I choose that over fame. If you only want to be a top star and are willing to do anything to get there, then that is a call you have taken.”