Sapthami Gowda calls out pap culture

Taking a stand against the circulation of non-consensual and inappropriately shot photographs, Kannada actor Sapthami Gowda has spoken out against a persistent pattern of objectification by paparazzi at public events.

Her strong statement, shared on Instagram, has since sparked an online wave of solidarity, with men and women from the Kannada film fraternity amplifying the message and joining the protest against disrespectful coverage.

The actor addressed the circulation of videos and photographs shot from inappropriate angles, often with deliberate zoom-ins that focus on women’s bodies rather than their work. “As women in the film industry, we stand together in addressing a recurring issue,” she wrote, pointing out that such behaviour, carried out by a few, is “disrespectful and unacceptable.”Sapthami emphasised that actors attend events for their craft and contribution to cinema, not to be objectified. “We are here for our craft. We are here for our cinema,” she stated, condemning “deliberate zoom-ins and inappropriate angles,” which she called “clear violations of dignity” that “will not be normalised or tolerated.” “We stand united in setting this boundary,” she wrote, reinforcing the idea of collective action and mutual support among women in cinema, ending her message with the hashtag #ActorsNotObjects.

Speaking to us, Sapthami says, “At every event, there are around 50 photographers and videographers filming us. No consent is sought, and before we can even monitor it, the content is all over the internet. When we request that such posts be deleted, they are archived, but resurface later.” She adds, “This isn’t happening to me alone. Regardless of age or profession, anyone & everyone, no matter what they wear, is recorded inappropriately.

Exposure is deliberately altered to create textures and shift focus to unnecessary areas. I, along with many women and men in the industry, want to stand up for everyone; this is a move by all of us.”