Archive · 19 Sep 2026
Nani’s Braid Advice Sparks Debate Over Culture and Choice
Actor Nani wears a braided hairstyle for his role as Jadal in The Paradise.
At a press meeting, he said women should bring braids back because they look beautiful.
He also suggested that Western culture had influenced how women style their hair.
Some people online said hairstyles should be a personal choice.
Others joked that women have more important things to do and little time for elaborate hair care.
Nani also recommended braiding and oiling hair to help prevent hair fall.
The conversation became playful because his film hairstyle was made with a wig.
The braids used for his character reportedly weigh about two kilograms.
Separately, Nani’s description of Tamil cinema as a “Bible” led to another debate, with producer Raj Kandukuri saying the wording may have upset some people.
Actor Nani urged women to return to braided hairstyles, saying they look beautiful.
He made the comments at a Bengaluru press meet while discussing his braided look as Jadal in The Paradise.
Nani linked the decline of braids to Western cultural influence and also suggested braiding and oiling hair could help prevent hair fall.
Social media users questioned the advice, citing personal choice, limited time and the fact that Nani wore a wig for the film.
A separate debate arose after Nani called Tamil cinema a “Bible” and producer Raj Kandukuri said the religious reference may have offended some people.
- Who
- Actor Nani made the comments; social media users criticized or questioned the braid advice, and producer Raj Kandukuri discussed Nani’s separate “Bible” remark.
- What
- Nani encouraged women to return to braided hairstyles, while also facing debate over his comments about Western influence and Tamil cinema.
- When
- The braid comments were made on a Friday ahead of The Paradise’s scheduled September 24 release; the timing of the Chennai remarks is not specified.
- Where
- The braid comments were made at a press meet in Bengaluru, while the Tamil-cinema comments were made at a press meet in Chennai.
- Why
- Nani said braids look beautiful and suggested Western influence had reduced their popularity; he described Tamil cinema as a “Bible” because of its influence on his love for cinema.
Nani’s Explanation
Critics’ Concerns
Returning to braids
Nani’s Explanation
Nani said braided hair looks beautiful and encouraged women to bring the hairstyle back.
Critics’ Concerns
Some social media users questioned why women should be told to return to a particular hairstyle and emphasized personal choice.
Western influence
Nani’s Explanation
Nani suggested that Western culture had influenced women’s changing hairstyles and encouraged a return to braids.
Critics’ Concerns
Critics challenged the idea that hairstyle choices should be framed as a traditional-versus-Western issue.
Hair-care advice
Nani’s Explanation
Nani suggested braiding and oiling hair to help prevent hair fall, and later expressed respect for women dealing with hair-care difficulties.
Critics’ Concerns
Users said women may not have time for elaborate hair care and jokingly questioned the advice because Nani wore a wig for the film.
“Bible” reference
Nani’s Explanation
Nani used “Bible” to describe Tamil cinema’s importance to him and credited Kamal Haasan, Mani Ratnam, Bhagyaraj and Bharathiraja with shaping his love for cinema.
Critics’ Concerns
Producer Raj Kandukuri said the reference could have been avoided and may have hurt some people’s feelings, while noting that celebrity comments are quickly scrutinized online.
- Speaker
- Actor Nani
- Film
- The Paradise
- Character
- Jadal
- Braid design
- Natural-hair braids weighing around two kilograms
- Release
- The Paradise is scheduled for worldwide release on September 24
- Online reaction
- Users debated personal choice, Western influence, hair-care expectations and Nani’s use of a wig
- Separate controversy
- Nani’s description of Tamil cinema as a “Bible” drew discussion about religious wording
