C V Shanmugam Row: Nadigar Sangam Slams Nayanthara Remark

Chennai: A political remark by C. V. Shanmugam targeting actor Nayanthara has triggered a sharp backlash from the film fraternity, with the South Indian Artistes Association issuing a strong condemnation and demanding accountability.

The controversy erupted during a protest held in Viluppuram as part of statewide demonstrations organised by the NDA alliance against alleged deterioration in law and order. Senior leaders, including Edappadi K. Palaniswami, participated in similar protests across districts.

Addressing the gathering, Shanmugam criticised Chief Minister M. K. Stalin and his public outreach initiative “Ungal Kanavai Sollungal” (Share Your Dreams). Drawing a comparison with former President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam’s call to dream big, the AIADMK MP made a controversial remark invoking Nayanthara, which drew immediate criticism for being derogatory and inappropriate.

Reacting to the speech, the Nadigar Sangam, led by president Nassar, said the comments had deeply offended the film community. In a strongly worded statement, Nassar said the remarks were “highly condemnable” and accused the MP of abandoning basic standards of public decorum by making such references on a public platform.

The statement underlined that while political discourse allows for ideological differences and criticism, elected representatives must exercise restraint and responsibility in their choice of words. It emphasised that dragging a woman actor into political rhetoric in a disparaging manner reflected poorly on public life and societal values.

Highlighting the broader context, the association noted that aspirations of the public—ranging from shelter for the poor, education for farmers’ children, employment for women, to infrastructure for businesses—cannot be trivialised. It also pointed to the growing role of women across sectors, from science and defence to governance, citing leaders like Indira Gandhi and J. Jayalalithaa as examples of women’s leadership.

As criticism mounted from multiple quarters, Shanmugam issued a clarification, expressing regret over the reference to Nayanthara. He stated that her name was mentioned inadvertently and without any intent to offend, terming it a “mistake” and offering an apology for the remark.