Karthik Subbaraj calls Mohan G's remarks to trans actor Negha transphobic

Tamil filmmaker Karthik Subbaraj has publicly condemned fellow director Mohan G for remarks he made to transgender actor Negha during a televised debate about Subbaraj's recent film Dorothy, calling the comments transphobic and a form of psychological violence. In a video statement shared on social media and reported on 14 and 15 October 2026, Subbaraj said that repeatedly questioning Negha about marriage and having children amounted to insulting and humiliating her in public. He said he had no objection to people criticising Dorothy, but that a disagreement over a film could not justify demeaning a person, and he called for rules against discriminatory remarks in public forums. Negha thanked him for speaking up.

Dorothy deals with LGBTQ+ and transgender themes, and the film had already set off a heated debate online after its release. Mohan G had criticised the film without naming it, and the television discussion brought that argument face to face with a transgender participant. Subbaraj's response moves the debate away from whether people like the film and towards how transgender people are spoken to on air.

His central argument was about dignity. Reports quote him asking whether having children is the highest purpose of human life, and pointing out that many couples without children lead full lives without anyone questioning their worth in public. By making that point, he challenged the idea that a transgender person's life can be judged by whether she can marry or have children.

The episode also matters for Tamil cinema more widely. When a film on a sensitive subject reaches a large audience, the argument around it often moves on to television and social media, and the people the film is about can end up being questioned on air. Subbaraj's statement, from the director of the film itself, puts the focus on how those conversations are conducted rather than on the film's box office or reviews.

Short-term: The controversy has drawn wide attention to Dorothy and to the way television debates handle transgender guests. Mohan G's reply, if he makes one, will be closely watched. No response from him was reported at the time of writing.

Long-term: Subbaraj's call for rules on discriminatory remarks in public forums adds to wider pressure on broadcasters and online platforms to set clearer standards for debates involving gender and sexuality.

Who is affected: Transgender actors and members of the community, Tamil film audiences, filmmakers working on LGBTQ+ themes, and television channels that host film debates.

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