Cinema VinesActor Nani, currently promoting his upcoming film The Paradise in Karnataka, sparked a lively debate after urging women to return to wearing braids during a press meet. The Telugu star, who plays the lead role in Srikanth Odela’s drama, commented on the hairstyle of his character Jadal, saying, “Nobody is wearing braids nowadays. Women look beautiful in braids. You should all go back to braids.” He pointed to a female reporter and added, “See, you’re not wearing braids. Our mothers would always braid their daughters’ hair. Somewhere, we are getting influenced by Western culture. Let’s go back to braids. I hope Jadal starts that trend.”
The reporter laughed and replied that men are now growing out their hair, prompting Nani to remark about the hair fall he had seen among schoolgirls and advise that “put braids, put oil, then you’ll have strong hair like Jadal.” Another reporter suggested that the actor should have worn a wig for the film instead of growing out his own hair, to which Nani responded with a chuckle, asking her what her profession was before confirming that he was an actor. When the reporter pointed out the difficulty women face in maintaining long hair today, Nani admitted he had struggled with the same issue for a year and a half and expressed respect for all women.
Online reactions were mixed. Some viewers found the exchange amusing, while others criticized Nani for telling women what to do. One X user wrote, “Meanwhile them wearing shorts and baniyan s all the f**king time at all the f**king place...they don't even what were the cultural outfits of ancient men…,” and another joked, “Who’s gonna talk about hard water in shower?” A different comment urged Nani to keep his opinions to himself, noting that braiding hair requires effort and time, and that people have more important matters to focus on.
Despite the backlash, Nani maintained a lighthearted tone throughout the interaction, laughing loudly and acknowledging the modern challenges of hair care. The incident highlights the ongoing conversation about cultural heritage and contemporary lifestyle choices among Indian audiences.
