Director Varsha Bharath’s upcoming Tamil film Bad Girl has won the prestigious NETPAC Award at the Rotterdam International Film Festival (IFFR) 2025. The film, produced by acclaimed filmmaker Vetrimaran in association with Anurag Kashyap, has been making waves both for its bold narrative and the controversy surrounding it.

The NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) Award is given annually to a feature film from the Asia-Pacific region, recognizing new and impactful cinematic voices.

Despite this recognition, Bad Girl has faced backlash ever since its teaser was released. While some praised its daring take on women's struggles and societal expectations, others criticized its depiction of a Brahmin girl’s personal life.

Filmmaker Pa Ranjith lauded the movie, tweeting, “Happened to watch #BadGirl, and it’s truly a bold and refreshing film! Director #VetriMaaran deserves immense credit for backing such a daring story. The film powerfully portrays women’s struggles through a unique new wave cinema style. Congratulations #Varsha. Anjali Sivaraman delivers an amazing performance—don’t miss this one!”

However, director Mohan G Kshatriyan reacted strongly, stating, “Portraying a Brahmin girl’s personal life is always considered bold and refreshing for this clan. Try with your own caste girls first.” This remark escalated into a major online debate.

Starring Anjali Sivaraman, Shanthi Priya, Saranya Ravichandran, Hridhu Haroon, TeeJayArunasalam, and SashankBommireddipalli, Bad Girl boasts cinematography by Preetha Jayaraman, Jagadeesh Ravi, and Prince Anderson, with music by Amit Trivedi and editing by Radha Sridhar.

With its recent award win and the controversy fueling discussions, Bad Girl is set to be one of the most talked-about Tamil films of the year.