Comedian Ali underlined the patriarchal attitude which continues to exist at large in the Telugu film industry, with his sexist comments on actress Anushka Shetty during the audio launch of Size Zero in the city on Sunday.
Anushka, who is currently ruling the roost in Tollywood and is giving her male counterparts a run for their money with powerful roles in Baahubali and Rudhramadevi, was compared to a “hot jalebi” with “extraordinary thighs” by Ali.
Referring to Anushka, who plays the lead in Size Zero, Ali said, “Anushka looks like a hot Jalebi who everybody likes to eat.”
The comedian, who is known to make sexist remarks, sparked further outrage by commenting on Anushka’s thighs. Addressing anchor Suma, he said, “Sometime back you had asked the other girl (Sonal Chauhan) to slap her thighs. However, she has no thighs. Anushka has really remarkable thighs. Ever since I saw her in Billa (where Anushka appeared in a bikini), I became her fan.”
While Anushka merely laughed it off, it cannot be ignored that the comments have been made in poor taste. What’s even more surprising is none of the big-wigs of the Telugu film industry have come condemned Ali’s remarks, which goes to show how chauvinism reeks within the industry.
Ali is a serial offender when it comes to sexist remarks, having previously made similar remarks on Samantha’s legs during the audio launch of Son of Sathyamurthy last year.
Incidentally, just this weekend, the actor said on TV show that he had immense respect for women and that he made fun of only one actress who he thought did not work as hard as she was expected to.