'Can we please get over this nonsense that actresses dress a certain way to get roles?' Esther lashes out

Actress Esther Anil has strongly responded to moral policing and criticism on social media. She reacted to comments made against her following an interview in which she spoke about the way female child artists are treated when they transition to lead roles.

In the interview, Esther said that there is a tendency among Malayalis to “hyper-sexualise” actresses who started their careers as child artists once they become heroines.

Some social media users criticised her remarks. One comment said that child artists often put on a “hyper-sexual show” to signal that they are ready for lead roles. Responding to such comments, Esther questioned this mindset.

She said, “Can we please get over this nonsense that actresses dress a certain way to get roles? Tell me how many talented actresses in Malayalam cinema today got where they are by sexualising themselves on social media? None. And even if someone did, why should we care?"

She added that Malayalam cinema has always stood strong because of the talent and skill of its artists, not because of their clothing or display of glamour. She also questioned the intentions of those making such comments, asking whether they were seeking cheap publicity for more followers.

Esther shared her response through an Instagram story. She said she usually ignores such comments but decided to speak out this time to expose such attitudes.

This is not the first time Esther has reacted strongly to online criticism. She had earlier responded to body-shaming comments on social media as well.