Actors rally to her support, Nayanthara demands Internal Complaints Committee

Pointing out that this was an era of meritocracy when women were asserting their due place, she said Radha Ravi should have led the younger generation by example. But instead, he has chosen to be "a misogynist role model", she said. "When actors like Radha Ravi fall out of business and become irrelevant, they tend to rely on cheap popularity tactics in order to grab some limelight," Nayanthara said in the statement.

She expressed concern over the actor receiving applause for such remarks, noting that such misogyny would only continue with such audience.

"I would like to strongly register my condemnation and protest against derogatory speeches made by Radha Ravi against women and children in general, and me in specific," she said.

She asked the South Indian Actors’ Association to set up an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) as per Supreme Court order and "commence an internal inquiry as per Vishakha guidelines".

SIAA chief M Nasser said Radha Ravi has been making such remarks for long in public fora, including cinema events, and that "you have made it a routine affair to belittle women". Such "lowly utterances" would not only belittle his stature, but also erode public confidence in the film industry, Nasser said, and expressed hope Radha Ravi would desist from making such remarks again.

Meanwhile, Radha Ravi expressed regret for his remarks. He said he would have "been reprimanded", especially by the media itself at the event, if he had said something wrong.

"To Nayanthara and Vignesh (Shivn), I express regret. Because it is a matter of anguish that it (the remarks) has affected them... They hail from my cinema industry," he told Tamil news channel.

Joining the issue, veteran actor Kamal Haasan said it was the duty of every man to treat women with respect, adding that it was "regrettable' to see Radha Ravi make such remarks.

"She is a woman and belongs to our industry. We have the first responsibility to treat her with respect," he told reporters. He also lauded the DMK for suspending Radha Ravi.

Shivn, said to be her partner, had raised the issue on social media, tagging DMK president MK Stalin and Kanimozhi, and sought action against "crass and sexist" Radha Ravi.

He said both Stalin and Kanimozhi had "vociferously" spoken against the Pollachi sexual harassment case and asked why they didn’t take stringent action against the actor, too.

Nayanthara, who has acted with top South Indian stars, including Rajinikanth, Vijay and Ajith Kumar, is also known for featuring in women-centric films like Aram and Kolamavu Kokila.

She had also starred with Telugu star Balakrishna as Seetha in Sri Ramarajyam, a reel depiction ofThe Ramayana.