Tamannaah Bhatia reacts to Annu Kapoor’s ‘dudhiya badan’ remark: ‘What we filter is important’

Tamannaah Bhatia addressed Annu Kapoor’s controversial remarks about her appearance for the first time

Actress Tamannaah Bhatia has addressed the controversy over veteran actor Annu Kapoor’s remarks about her appearance, which sparked criticism last year. The actor said she prefers to focus on her work and believes in choosing what deserves her attention rather than getting caught up in such comments.

Speaking at NDTV Profit Ignite 2026, Tamannaah Bhatia was asked about Annu Kapoor’s remarks on her complexion and body, which drew criticism when they surfaced in 2025.

“I think that as a creative person, our most important task is to listen. And when we listen, what we keep and what we filter is very important to understand,” she said. “And because you are also a woman, you can understand that if we start giving importance to such things, then perhaps we will not be able to move forward in life.”

Tamannaah said she prefers to direct her attention towards her profession. “I don’t even see these things. I focus on my work. I focus on what I want to make. I focus on my acting career,” she said.

Also Read: Tamannaah exposes disturbing gaze female actors face in South cinema: ‘Not complimentary’

Speaking about her approach to acting, Tamannaah said she sees her work as a form of service rather than simply a career pursuit.

“Genuinely, according to me, I want to do my work like a service. And I do that. And maybe that’s why it reaches people, because somewhere it comes from the right place,” she said.

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What Annu Kapoor said

The controversy dates back to 2025, when Annu Kapoor appeared on Shubhankar Mishra’s YouTube channel. During the interview, he was shown a clip of Tamannaah performing in Aaj Ki Raat, a song from the Hindi horror comedy Stree 2. When the host said he admired Tamannaah, Annu Kapoor commented on her appearance and used the phrase “dudhiya badan” (milky body).

He then framed his remarks as a blessing, saying, “She is the reason why kids sleep with her song, with her milky face and body, if she is making our children sleep sweetly, it’s very good, man… It will be a great blessing for this country that our children get a good and healthy night’s sleep.”

The comments drew backlash on social media, with users accusing Annu Kapoor of focusing on the actor’s physical appearance rather than her performance.

In July 2026, Kapoor defended his remarks in an interview with Zoom. He argued that the backlash was influenced by a cultural preference for English over Hindi, suggesting that the same sentiment expressed in English would not have attracted the same reaction. He added that he was willing to apologise to Tamannaah if she felt hurt by his remarks or raised the issue with him.