Tamil actress Divyabharathi has gone public with serious accusations against director Naresh Kuppili, alleging that during the Telugu debut GOAT he repeatedly used demeaning language, including the sexist term “chilaka,” and repeatedly belittled her both on set and on social media. She shared a screenshot of a tweet in which Kuppili called her “chilaka” and suggested she was fit only for a second‑lead role, describing the remark as “deeply insulting to women” and a reflection of deep‑rooted misogyny.
In a detailed Instagram post, Divyabharathi said the abuse was not an isolated incident, Kuppili’s behaviour on the GOAT shoot mirrored a pattern of disrespect toward women that she had also witnessed in his previous film Paagal. She expressed particular disappointment over co‑star Sudigali Sudheer’s silence, noting that his inaction allowed the hostile environment to continue.
Divyabharathi further clarified that, unlike her smooth collaborations in Tamil cinema, only Naresh Kuppili crossed the line, prompting her to speak out publicly. She emphasized her right to respond, stating, “I’ve worked repeatedly with the same teams in Tamil Nadu without any issues, only this one director crossed the line and insulted me publicly, so I had to speak up”.
The controversy erupted after Naresh Kuppili, who was removed from GOAT due to internal disputes, resurfaced on social media with indirect jabs at the actress. As the incident continues to trend, industry insiders await an official response from both Sudigali Sudheer and the production house.