Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has once again defended his long-criticised remarks about Sridevi’s “thunder thighs,” doubling down on his belief that the late superstar’s physicality played a significant role in her rise to fame. Despite years of backlash, Varma maintains that she would not have enjoyed the same level of stardom had she been built differently.
RGV stands firm on his comments on Sirdevi
Joining a podcast on the Zoom YouTube channel, Varma revisited the storm he triggered with his earlier comments about Sridevi’s appearance. He acknowledged the criticism but continued to justify his stance.
“What is wrong with objectification? That was an asset she had apart from her talent. I think calling it objectification is objectification. How does a person become unique? There will be reasons. You should not limit it to the fact that she’s a great actress or a great human being. It could be due to this also. Why avoid it? When did I say she’s not an actor? I was saying they (her thunder thighs) also contributed (to her fame).”
He went further, insisting that her physique was part of her star appeal. “I personally believe if she had thin legs, she would have never become a star. They were part of the whole package. If Amitabh Bachchan were 6 inches shorter, I’m not very sure he would have become a big star. Or if Shah Rukh Khan were 6 inches taller, I don’t know if he would have been a big star.”
Varma also reflected on the uproar that erupted back in 2015, adding that his comments had been made in jest at the time.
What happened in 2015
The controversy originated from Varma’s book Guns and Thighs, where he dedicated a chapter to Sridevi—whom he directed in Great Robbery, Govindhaa Govindhaa and Hairaan. In the book, he openly wrote about his long-standing fascination with the actress, even claiming he “hated” Boney Kapoor for “bringing that angel down from heaven to such an ordinary, humdrum existence."
Back then, Varma defended his remarks on social media, tweeting: “Srideviji's fame is not only because of her acting capacity but it's also because of her thundering thighs -- top critics of Himmatwala time… If only acting talent is a measure for stardom why was'nt Smita Patil bigger than Srideviji..The thunder thighs made the difference.”