The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed the removal of all video teasers of the film Bad Girl from social media platforms.
The film, produced by Dravidianist director Vetrimaaran under his Cross Root Film Company and directed by Varsha Bharath, features Anjali Sivaraman in the lead role. The cast also includes Shanti Priya, Saranya Ravichandran, Hrithu Haroon, Deejay, Sasank Pommettipalli, among others. The production team had earlier announced a theatrical release date of 5 September.
However, Bad Girl has been mired in controversy since the release of its teaser. The latest legal challenge comes from a petition filed by three individuals, including Ramkumar and Ramesh Kumar from Sankarankoil, who approached the Madurai Bench alleging that the teaser contains inappropriate and obscene visuals involving minors and young girls.
Responding to the petition, the court has instructed the central government to take immediate action to remove the teaser from all digital platforms, including YouTube. Furthermore, the court has advised preventive measures to avoid similar content being shared in the future. With this legal hurdle, questions have now emerged over whether the film will be able to release on its scheduled date.
Dravidianist propaganda movie Bad Girl
Highly controversial Dravidianist propaganda movie Bad Girl, certified U/A by the Censor Board, is set to hit theatres on 5 September 2025. Directed by Varsha Bharath and backed by Dravidianist filmmaker Vetrimaaran in collaboration with Bollywood director Anurag Kashyap, the film has faced backlash since its teaser release on 26 January 2025.
The Bad Girl is less a coming-of-age story and more an ideological statement meant to reinforce anti-Brahmin narratives under the guise of empowerment. The teaser introduces audiences to a Tamil Brahmin girl, played by Anjali Sivaraman, who openly expresses her desire for a boyfriend, setting off a journey through her adolescence and college years marked by societal judgment and emotional conflict. The teaser culminates in a scene reminiscent of the 2020 “Thaali Bajao” ritual during the COVID pandemic, depicting traditional Brahmin practices seemingly to ridicule them.
Produced under Grass Root Film Company, Bad Girl has been labeled by detractors as another attempt to push Dravidian ideological propaganda, particularly targeting Brahmin culture.
Backlash From The Film Industry
Actress and former Bigg Boss Tamil contestant Sanam Shetty strongly condemned the film, accusing it of glamorizing rebellion, promiscuity, and substance abuse among minors. She noted that the portrayal sends an unhealthy message to impressionable adolescents and slammed the industry for overlooking deeper gender inequality issues.
Taking to X on 18 February 2025, she stated, “#BADGIRL Teaser is NOT a BOLD Example.. It’s a #BAD Example! #Freedom of choice and #GenderEquality concepts are wrongly portrayed in case of #Minors here! #Legally, #Ethically and even #Medically it sends a terribly #wrong message to the already influenceable adolescent children! Extremely disappointed with the so called Responsible Film Makers funding and supporting this Film. Do you agree with me?”
Later speaking to reporters, she said, “Equality doesn’t mean sleeping with multiple people, smoking cigarettes or ganja. Equality means asking us with equal opportunities. If you ask whether there’s equal opportunity between men and women, the answer is no. Take our industry, for example. Are the salaries given to male and female actors the same? No. Is the way male and female actors are approached the same? No. I’m speaking from personal experience. When we think they call us to act in movies, instead they call us for sleeping with them. This is the approach. Equality is needed here and you should speak for this. If you’re suggesting schoolgirl to sleep with ten people, smoke cigarette, ganja and consume alcohol what kind of thinking is that? Hair”
#BADGIRL Teaser is NOT a BOLD Example.. ❌
It's a #BAD Example! 👎#Freedom of choice and #GenderEquality concepts are wrongly portrayed in case of #Minors here! #Legally, #Ethically and even #Medically it sends a terribly #wrong message to the already influencable adolescent… pic.twitter.com/Dv6pVdXxtG— Sanam Shetty (@ungalsanam) February 18, 2025
Similarly, Director Mohan G Kshatriyan, known for films like Bakasuran and Draupathi, also weighed in, accusing Vetrimaaran and Kashyap of recycling anti-Brahmin tropes for cinematic appeal. In a sarcastic post, he said, “Portraying a brahmin girl personal life is always a bold and refreshing film for this clan. What more can be expected from vetrimaran, Anurag kasyap & Co.. Bashing Brahmin father and mother is old and not trendy.. Try with your own caste girls and showcase it to your own family first.“
Legal Pushback
The Tamil Nadu Brahmin Association (THAMBRAAS) has issued a legal notice to Vetrimaaran, asserting that the film insults their community and contributes to cultural erosion. According to their complaint, the film’s protagonist a Tamil Brahmin schoolgirl is portrayed engaging in relationships, alcohol consumption, and other behaviors the group deems derogatory and misleading.
The notice alleges that Bad Girl violates Article 19 of the Indian Constitution, which allows freedom of expression but with reasonable restrictions. It further cites Section 294 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act, 2023, for obscene representation, especially concerning the use of “Iyer Bashai” (Brahmin dialect) and the depiction of Brahmin rituals in a negative light.
The association urged the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in Chennai to deny certification to the film, calling its content culturally divisive and offensive. The Nadar community has also voiced concerns, stating that the teaser normalizes immoral behavior among schoolgirls and spreads a misleading message to youth.
(With Inputs From Thanthi)
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