A cryptic comment made by veteran actress Simran at the JFW Movie Awards 2025 has made people talk about it. During her acceptance speech for her role, Simran shared a personal anecdote about a female co-star’s insensitive remark, leading many to point fingers at actress Jyothika as the subject of her comment.
While accepting her award, Simran recounted messaging a fellow actress to compliment her recent performance, only to receive a reply that belittled Simran’s choice of roles.
“I said I was pleasantly surprised to see her in it. She replied, ‘At least it’s better than doing aunty roles.’ That was very insensitive,” Simran said, visibly hurt.
She went on to defend her career choices, stating, “It’s okay to do aunty roles or play the mother of a 25-year-old, rather than do dabba roles and do nothing.” The term “dabba” (meaning “mediocre” or “insignificant” in this context) immediately caught the attention of netizens, triggering a wave of speculation online.
The mention of “dabba roles” led many fans and social media users to connect the comment to Jyothika, who recently starred in Netflix’s crime drama series Dabba Cartel. The series, which features Jyothika alongside Shabana Azmi and others, received mixed reviews, with some critiques noting that Jyothika’s role lacked depth. Fans quickly took to X, Reddit, and other platforms, debating whether Simran’s remark was a subtle jab at Jyothika.
However, the speculation isn’t unanimous. Some netizens suggested that Simran could have been referring to other actresses, such as Trisha Krishnan or Laila.
The controversy has reignited discussions about the dynamics between actresses in the Tamil film industry, with many praising Simran for addressing the issue publicly. Simran’s defense of “aunty” and mother roles resonated with many, who lauded her for challenging stereotypes.
Neither Simran nor Jyothika has issued an official statement addressing the speculation, leaving fans to dissect their past interactions for clues. The two actresses have a history of being compared, with debates about their acting prowess dating back to the early 2000s when both were leading stars in Tamil cinema.