Rio Raj says feminism is a feeling, faces backlash

Actor Rio Raj, promoting his new Tamil film Ram in Leela, has sparked controversy with comments about feminism made in an interview with Sudhir Srinivasan. Cinema Express reports that Raj defended his 2025 film Aan Paavam Pollathathu against criticism that it critiques modern feminism, saying the film targets those who advocate feminism without understanding it. He stated, "Feminism is a feeling," and cited his mother as a strong woman who lived feminism without speaking about it.

Hindustan Times reports that social media users called Raj "ultra cringe" and accused him of misogyny and pandering to an incel audience. Critics pointed out that Raj, who is happily married, continues to star in films with problematic gender politics. The host of the interview challenged Raj's framing, noting that terming women who raise children alone as "strong" sidelines women who choose not to marry or have children. Raj clarified that both characters in his film are flawed and that he does not take a stance against feminism.