Actor and television anchor Anasuya Bharadwaj has once again ignited a fiery debate online after delivering a sharp rebuttal to trolls who labelled her an “aunty” following her criticism of actor Sivaji’s misogynistic remarks at a recent film event.

The controversy erupted after Sivaji, speaking at the pre-release event of 'Dhandoraa' earlier this week, made offensive comments on women actors and their clothing choices.

His remarks triggered widespread backlash on social media, with Anasuya emerging as one of the most vocal critics.

However, instead of engaging with her argument, sections of social media chose to age-shame Bharadwaj, prompting her to hit back — unapologetically and publicly.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Anasuya wrote in Telugu that people were conveniently avoiding the real issue and instead resorting to calling her “aunty,” while continuing to show respect to Sivaji. She pointed out the hypocrisy bluntly, stating that she is 40 years old, while Sivaji is around 54, yet only she is subjected to ridicule for her age.

She further added that both of them maintain their appearance for personal and professional reasons, questioning whether those criticising her believed they possessed “eternal youth.”

Bharadwaj concluded by remarking that reasoning with such critics was like “blowing a conch in a deaf person’s ear.”

In a follow-up message, she struck a defiant note, saying she would remain “unbothered, unaffected, untouched, and strong.” She emphasised that her stand was not personal but about representing voices that have long been unheard and overlooked.

She ended her post with a sharp Hindi one-liner that quickly went viral: “Aap jalan barkaraar rakhna, hum jalwa barkaraar rakhenge.” She also urged followers to translate the message into their respective languages.

Amid the mounting backlash, Sivaji issued a video apology, admitting he should not have used words like ‘daridrapu m**a’* and ‘saamaan’ during his speech.

He claimed his intention was not to demean women and said his comments stemmed from concerns after seeing actresses being mobbed. Acknowledging the use of “unparliamentary words,” Sivaji offered a “sincere apology.”

Despite the apology, the episode has reignited conversations around misogyny in the film industry, age-shaming of women actors, and unequal standards applied to men and women in public life.