The upcoming Tamil film Bad Girl, directed by Varsha Bharath and produced by filmmakers Vetrimaaran and Anurag Kashyap, has drawn sharp criticism from director Mohan G Kshatriyan. The film, which will be premiering at the 54th International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR), has sparked a debate over its portrayal of Brahmin characters in Tamil cinema.
The teaser, which was launched on 26 January 2025 at an event in Chennai, follows a young Brahmin girl (played by Anjali Sivaraman) as she navigates the challenges of adolescence and societal expectations, particularly surrounding her relationships. The film highlights her struggles with criticism and shaming for her personal choices.
The film received support from Dravidianist director Pa Ranjith who wrote on his X handle, “Happened to watch #BadGirl, and it’s truly a bold and refreshing film! Director #VetriMaaran deserves immense credit for backing such a daring story. The film powerfully portrays women’s struggles and society’s expectations through a unique new wave cinema style. Congratulations #varsha. Anjali Sivaraman delivers an amazing performance—don’t miss this one! Check out the teaser: http://youtu.be/y87Jp5IPF-s”
Happened to watch #BadGirl, and it’s truly a bold and refreshing film! Director #VetriMaaran deserves immense credit for backing such a daring story. The film powerfully portrays women’s struggles and society’s expectations through a unique new wave cinema style. Congratulations… pic.twitter.com/EanrwiDE2I
— pa.ranjith (@beemji) January 26, 2025
However, it is the depiction of Brahmin families in the film that has drawn backlash from Mohan G Kshatriyan, known for his films like Bakasuran, Rudra Thandavam, and Draupathi. Slamming Pa Ranjith and the filmmakers for making such stale content, taking to his official X handle, film maker Mohan G Kshatriyan wrote a post on his X handle where he slammed the filmmakers, stating, “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.“
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… https://t.co/XP8mtnaFws
— Mohan G Kshatriyan (@mohandreamer) January 27, 2025
Kshatriyan’s comments have fueled the ongoing discussion about caste portrayals in Tamil cinema, with many questioning whether such narratives are overly critical of one community.
The teaser introduces a Tamil Brahmin girl who is a rebel, defies societal expectations of being the “good girl” as she seeks to break free from the constraints of the usual trope of “Brahminical patriarchy”, and since this film is from the Dravidianist ideologue’s soil, it needs to show her embracing the identity of a modern, liberated woman.
The stale narrative in the teaser takes a snarky jab at those who continue to resist “progressive” ideals, contrasting them with the image of modern youth celebrating freedom and rationality, drinking away to glory, dancing in clubs with a triumphant “Cheers!” The deep-seated hypocrisy within the Dravidian male psyche has also been seen harboring a peculiar fetish for Brahmin women. This obsession only stems from an inability to appreciate their own caste people and family members/friends/partners, redirecting their lust toward the very group they claim to oppose.
Time and again the Tamil society has enabled this poison to take root and flourish, allowing the pervasive dehumanization and objectification of Brahmin women.
(With inputs from India Today)
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