Actress Janhvi Kapoor has opened up about the controversy surrounding her portrayal in director Buchi Babu Sana’s sports action drama Peddi, which hit theatres on June 4.
The film faced severe criticism from a section of the audience over the excessive sexualisation of Janhvi’s character, Achiyamma. Following the backlash, director Buchi Babu Sana apologised on social media and made changes to the controversial portions.
Months after the film’s release, Janhvi addressed the controversy during her appearance on Karan Johar’s popular talk show, Koffee With Karan.
When Karan asked how she dealt with the criticism, Janhvi admitted that she should have been more careful about how her character was portrayed.
She said the controversy continued to weigh heavily on her conscience, particularly because of the negative impact such portrayals could have on society and women.
Janhvi acknowledged that the film contained problematic scenes involving extreme objectification and even elements that appeared to promote sexual assault within the narrative.
She admitted that she could have done more to prevent such scenes and said she would ensure that a similar situation did not happen again.
The actress also revealed that she had spent considerable time blaming herself for not being more vigilant during the shoot.
Explaining the circumstances, Janhvi said actors often depend on the director’s vision and instructions. She pointed out that bound scripts are rarely provided in South Indian cinema and that actors do not always get to see the camera angles used to shoot their scenes.
She admitted that she should have used her position and influence to question certain creative decisions.
Describing the experience as violating in some ways, Janhvi hoped the controversy would make filmmakers think twice before presenting female leads in a similar manner.
In Peddi, Ram plays the titular role, while Janhvi portrays his love interest, Achiyamma.
After the film’s release, several viewers criticised the way her character was introduced, alleging that the camera focused more on her body than on establishing her personality.
Another controversial sequence showed Peddi expressing his desire for Achiyamma despite her lack of interest and later kissing her without consent during a power cut.
The scenes triggered criticism on social media, with viewers questioning the portrayal of women and consent in mainstream commercial cinema.
Responding to the backlash, Buchi Babu Sana issued an apology on X, stating that he had always respected women and never intended to objectify or disrespect any female character.
He acknowledged the concerns raised by viewers and announced that changes would be made to the portions that had attracted criticism.
Janhvi’s latest remarks have once again brought attention to the controversy, with the actress openly accepting that she should have been more vigilant about her character’s portrayal.
