Filmmaker Karthik Subbaraj has strongly condemned director Mohan G for his remarks against transgender woman Negha during a televised debate on the film Dorothy, describing them as transphobic and a form of psychological violence.
In a video statement shared on social media, Karthik said repeatedly questioning Negha about marriage and having children amounted to insulting and humiliating her in public. He pointed out that a couple’s happiness need not depend on having children and questioned why transgender people should be judged by a different standard.
Clarifying that he had no objection to criticism of Dorothy, Karthik said disagreements over a film should not become an excuse to demean individuals. “You can talk anything about the movie. I don’t even care. But there should be humanity,” he said, stressing that transgender people deserved the same dignity and respect as anyone else. He also called for rules to address discriminatory remarks in public forums.
Negha thanked Karthik for speaking out, saying his support meant a great deal to her and the transgender community. The controversy has renewed debate over the representation of LGBTQ+ people in Tamil cinema following the release of Dorothy, which explores transgender identity and discrimination.