Veteran actor Annu Kapoor, clearly did not expect his words to explode the way they did. The phrase “dudhiya badan”, said while talking about Tamannaah Bhatia, has now turned into one of those moments where people are asking: was it praise, or just plain tone-deaf?
Let’s break down the mess.
That ‘compliment’ that didn’t land well
The controversy kicked off after a clip from Kapoor’s old chat with Shubhankar Mishra started circulating again. He was talking about Tamannaah’s performance in the song ‘Aaj Ki Raat’ from Stree 2, also starring Rajkummar Rao and Pankaj Tripathi.
While discussing the song, Kapoor made remarks about Tamannaah’s appearance including the now-infamous “dudhiya badan” comment.
Some people brushed it off as old-school language. Others called it unnecessary and objectifying.
Kapoor’s defence: ‘I was just appreciating her’
Facing the backlash, Kapoor tried to explain himself in an interview with Siddharth Kannan.
He said the comment came up when he was reviewing songs for a show. During a US tour last year, his team suggested ‘Aaj Ki Raat’ as a tough performance track. Curious, he watched the video, and liked what he saw.
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According to him, the reaction was simple: “She is dancing very well.”
But here’s the catch. If that was the only takeaway, why did the comment focus on her body instead of her dance? That’s exactly what people are questioning.
‘Hindi vs English’ argument. Really?
Kapoor also blamed the backlash on language. He argued that if he had said “milky body” in English, no one would have cared.
That argument feels… shaky at best.
Because the issue isn’t the language. It’s the gaze. Whether you say it in Hindi or English, reducing a performer to their physical traits, especially in a professional discussion, is what’s rubbing people the wrong way.
Trying to make it about translation misses the bigger point. The criticism isn’t linguistic. It’s about respect.
Apology… but shady
Kapoor did say he’s willing to apologise, but even that came with a dramatic spin.
He said if Tamannaah ever tells him she felt hurt, he would admit it and even “touch her feet” to say sorry. He added that as a 71-year-old man, his gesture would clearly show he had no bad intentions.
Here’s where things get uncomfortable again.
An apology isn’t about grand gestures or age-based authority. It’s about understanding why something felt wrong in the first place. Saying “I didn’t mean it” over and over doesn’t automatically fix the impact.
And invoking age as a shield? That doesn’t really hold up in 2026 where conversations around respect and consent have evolved way beyond that.