AIADMK MP's Remark on Nayanthara Draws Outrage in Tamil Nadu

On March 17, 2026, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Rajya Sabha member C.V. Shanmugam sparked widespread outrage in Tamil Nadu after making a sexist remark about actress Nayanthara during a party protest in Villupuram district, about 150 kilometers from Chennai. The comment, aimed at mocking Chief Minister M.K. Stalin's public outreach initiative "Unga Kanavai Sollunga" or "Tell Us Your Dream," came amid a rally focused on women's safety, law and order, and drug abuse, highlighting the irony of the setting.

Shanmugam, a former minister, referenced the program, which invites citizens to share aspirations for the state's development as Stalin's five-year term nears its end. In his speech, he questioned the initiative's feasibility by saying, "I want Nayanthara, will you fulfil? Will the Chief Minister fulfil someone's dream to marry Nayanthara?" The remark drew laughter from some party colleagues at the event, but it quickly ignited condemnation across political, entertainment, and public spheres.

Ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leaders were among the first to respond forcefully. DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai described the statement as "disgusting" and called for...