'Bad Girl' vs 'Aan Paavam Pollathathu': Viewers at war on X over feminism, masculinity and gender narratives

Tamil romantic drama Aan Paavam Pollathathu, starring Rio Raj and Malavika Manoj is a part of an online discussion. Social media users began drawing comparisons between the film and 'Bad Girl', a female-centric coming-of-age drama streaming on the same platform.Released to packed houses in theatres, 'Aan Paavam Pollathathu' enjoyed an impressive box-office performance despite receiving polarising reviews. The romantic drama revolves around a newly married couple whose differences escalate to the point of a divorce case. While a segment of viewers appreciated the storytelling, many criticised the film for being heavily one-sided in favour of men, arguing that the female character was written poorly and portrayed as unintelligent and submissive. Meanwhile, 'Bad Girl', also streaming on the same OTT platform, takes a very different narrative route. The film follows the life of protagonist Ramya from her teenage years to her mid-30s, exploring her relationships, choices, heartbreaks and growth without passing judgement on either gender. Despite opening to glowing reviews, 'Bad Girl' struggled commercially during its theatrical release, gaining appreciation largely after arriving on streaming. The debate kicked off when a post on X referred to Aan Paavam Pollathathu as "the answer to Bad Girl". The comparison did not sit well with a major section of viewers, especially those who felt 'Bad Girl' approached its story with maturity and neutrality, while 'Aan Paavam Pollathathu' leaned into gender antagonism. Some users went further, calling the latter "a YouTube-style incel film that goes out of its way to downgrade women", while others defended it as a reflection of certain real-world relationships. Another internet user wrote, "Aan Paavam Pollathathu - a movie that talks about men's struggles, gets termed 'misogynistic'. Bad Girl - a movie promoting sleeping around, cheating, and degeneracy, is called 'inspirational'. Hypocrisy must be synonymous with feminism."