Actress and writer Kotravai, known for her role in the Sun TV series “Athiranichal,” recently shared nude photos on her social media pages, sparking significant public criticism. In response, Kotravai has explained her reasons for posting the photos, stating that it is a form of political struggle.
Kotravai posted two photos: one showing her sitting nude and looking upwards, and another from behind. She explained that the first two photos were taken during an incident of sexual assault on a female student at Anna University.
“If you see the photo I posted, don’t you feel pity and helplessness, thinking when will women’s bodies be liberated?” she stated. “I was trying to say this. The other photo makes you think, ‘Does God come from above?’ Both are symbols. Through those photos, I am telling you this. To understand this symbol, you need some knowledge. That knowledge is rare in this society. I use my body as a weapon.”
She further elaborated that she has been advocating for this since the Pollachi sexual assault incident. Her decision to share her photos was prompted by recent discussions surrounding women’s clothing and bodies.
Kotravai urges women, “Don’t feel that your nudity is obscene.” She advises them to ignore threats if someone takes their photo. Similarly, she addresses men, saying, “You should ignore seeing women’s bodies. Look at women, enjoy them, and say what you want. If they wish, they will accept it. But if you dress like this, you have no right to say you did this.”
In another post, she emphasized that in spirituality, marriage is not disgusting but a state of sacrifice and detachment. She is trying to accustom men to view the female body with dignity, even if it is seen as humorous. “This is my political struggle,” she asserted. “Whether you are a serial actress or a sex worker, you can do this! I will do it!”
Kotravai believes she has the right to fight for the liberation of her body by “selling her labor power for survival,” similar to how men who are part of capitalist production systems and state institutions work against exploitation. She also claims the right to question discrimination against the female body and to fight against the notion that normalizing nudity leads to sexual attraction towards women.
“My pen is a weapon that speaks against labor exploitation and caste dominance. My body is a weapon against sexual assault on women,” she stated.
She also raised a question: “Do women walk around naked in maths/monasteries? What does ‘spirituality/law’ allow?” She observed that in a specific religion, women are completely covered from head to toe. She asked for proof if her observation was wrong, questioning if there are currently any nude female ascetics in religions that speak of asceticism.
