Heroine Ankita on life after marriage – Exclusive

Allu Sirish recently responded to the trolling he received on social media for wearing jewellery during his wedding celebrations with Nayanika Reddy. The actor clarified that his fashion choices were intentional and meant to challenge long-standing stereotypes around gender norms.

During the pre-wedding and wedding ceremonies, Sirish wore diamond and gold jewellery and even applied mehendi featuring Nayanika’s name. On the wedding day, he also adorned the traditional symbols associated with Lord Balaji — the namam, shanku, and chakra — adding a cultural and spiritual touch to his look.

Addressing the criticism, Sirish said that rigid gender norms are a relatively modern idea. He explained that in ancient times, men also wore jewellery and there was no strict division between products meant for men and women. “Until about a hundred years ago, even perfumes were not separated as ‘for men’ and ‘for women’. Today, everything is divided into blue for boys and pink for girls,” he said.

Sirish revealed that some people around him questioned his decision to wear jewellery. When asked why it was necessary, he replied that someone had to take the first step. According to him, if people never try to challenge such ideas, society will continue to follow the same outdated norms even decades later.

The actor also pointed out that men often have limited opportunities to experiment with fashion. Responding humorously to memes suggesting he should wear a vaddanam (gold waist belt), Sirish said Telugu memers are very creative. While a vaddanam is traditionally worn by women, he noted that Indian maharajas and Mughal rulers historically wore chokers and other elaborate jewellery.

He concluded by saying that the belief that chokers or similar ornaments are only meant for women is largely influenced by Western perceptions. Sirish emphasized that India has a rich tradition of men wearing jewellery and that it is time to embrace these cultural styles without rigid gender boundaries.