‘Bad Girl Is Not Porn’, Says Director Varsha Bharath Amid Controversy | Regional Cinema News

A poster of the film.

Debutant filmmaker Varsha Bharath has responded to the criticism surrounding her Tamil film Bad Girl, insisting that the project has been misunderstood. The film, which stars Anjali Sivaraman as Ramya, faced intense scrutiny when its teaser was released earlier this year, prompting accusations and even a court order to take it down. Despite the storm at home, the film has found international recognition, including a win at the International Film Festival Rotterdam.

When Bad Girl’s teaser appeared online, director Mohan G alleged on social media that it depicted Brahmins negatively. The controversy escalated, and the Madras High Court directed the removal of the teaser from YouTube.

Varsha recalls the conflicting reactions she faced at the time. “A couple of days after my teaser came out, we premiered the film at the International Film Festival Rotterdam, where Bad Girl won the NETPAC Award,” she said in an interview with Hindustan Times. “While everyone back home was telling me I had made a trashy film…or a porno, I had the international audience at the festival and filmmakers appreciating it. It was a very disorienting experience for me. I wondered if I could’ve done something differently, but in hindsight, my objective was just to cut a cool teaser, so there’s no regret there.”

Bad Girl follows the life of Ramya, a teenager searching for the perfect boyfriend while navigating conservative family expectations, rigid social rules, and her own inner conflicts. Varsha said she made the film because she felt female coming-of-age stories were missing from Tamil cinema.

“I wanted to watch this movie, so I went ahead and made it. It’s not like, Oh! You’ve made one movie, so the problem is fixed,” she said. “I think girlhood can be a lot of fun when we’re part of mainstream voices without being sob stories or imitating men. It can change a lot about how we perceive ourselves.”

Released in Tamil earlier this month, the film has sparked diverse reactions. According to Varsha, audiences have engaged deeply with its themes. “It’s been both overwhelmingly good and, in some ways, a learning curve. The intensity with which women and young people have been reaching out to tell me they found the film relatable, that they feel seen, is beautiful. On the other hand, I was harbouring a hope that the film would be a box office success magically. Watching a movie with the audience teaches you a lot…it’s been a lot of lessons, but I’m happy,” she said.

Varsha credits her lead actor, Anjali Sivaraman, for bringing authenticity to the role of Ramya. “Anjali was a perfect fit to play Ramya as she didn’t ‘judge’ the character. But other than that, she’s a fantastic actor. Not a lot of people can close their eyes and get into the head of a fifteen-year-old with ease. I really felt like she was Ramya, like she was meant for this character,” she explained.

Even her family, she added, reacted positively after watching it. “It was anxiety-inducing, but a week before its Tamil release, I took my mother and the rest of the family to a screening. It was not a story they could relate to, but they weren’t infuriated by it. People can be open-minded, that’s all I’ve understood,” she explained.

Meanwhile, veteran Tamil filmmaker Vetrimaaran recently announced that he is shutting down his production company, Grass Root Film Company, which he founded in 2012. He also revealed that his upcoming film, the controversial coming-of-age drama Bad Girl, will be the last project produced under the banner. The decision, he said, stems from the immense pressure associated with producing films.