Overview
- Varma told Zoom he stands by calling Sridevi’s thighs an asset, asking what is wrong with objectification and saying the trait contributed to her fame.
- He argued that physicality influences celebrity, claiming Sridevi would not have become a star with thin legs and citing hypothetical height changes for Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan.
- He characterized his earlier words as made in jest and rooted in his teenage fantasy of the actor.
- The controversy began in 2015 with a chapter on Sridevi in his book Guns and Thighs and follow-up tweets that drew sharp criticism, including from Boney Kapoor.
- Reports note renewed attention to the episode after the interview, with no fresh formal responses from other principals as coverage revisits broader debates over objectification and legacy following Sridevi’s 2018 death.