Sapthami Gowda, the breakout star who garnered nationwide acclaim for her performance in Kantara, has taken a stand against the increasingly invasive nature of celebrity paparazzi culture. Utilising her platform on Instagram, the actress issued a stinging critique of photographers and videographers who deliberately capture female artists from inappropriate and voyeuristic angles during public appearances.
In a detailed note shared with her followers, Gowda highlighted a troubling trend where technical tools—specifically unnecessary zoom-ins—are being weaponised to objectify women in the industry. She poignantly argued that these calculated camera placements shift the focus away from an actor’s professional achievements and creative contributions.
Sapthami wrote on her IG Story, "As women in the film industry, we stand together in addressing a recurring issue. Repeatedly, videos and photographs of female actors at public events are shot and circulated from inappropriate angles, with unnecessary zooms that focus on our bodies rather than our work. This behaviour, carried out by a few individuals, is disrespectful and unacceptable."
(Image: Instagram/@sapthami_gowda)
She further noted, "We are here for our craft. We are here for our cinema. We unequivocally condemn deliberate zoom-ins and inappropriate angles. They are clear violations of dignity and will not be normalised or tolerated. We expected those covering events to maintain professionalism, basic respect and decency."
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She went on to state, "We stand united in setting this boundary. We stand in solidarity with every woman who has experienced this - and we will continue to support one another in demanding respect," and captioned it with the hashtag 'actors not objects'.