Filmmaker Buchi Babu Sana’s sports action drama, Peddi, released in theatres on June 4. The film has faced criticism from a section of viewers over the hypersexualisation of Janhvi Kapoor’s character. Amid the controversy, Janhvi’s make-up artist has come out in support of the actor, sharing a post that claimed she had objected to certain shots in the film.
Janhvi Kapoor’s make-up artist defends her amid Peddi criticism
Amid the ongoing criticism surrounding the portrayal of Janhvi’s character in Peddi, her make-up artist, Savleen Kaur Manchanda, has appeared to lend support to the actor. Taking to Instagram stories on Saturday, Savleen shared a slide from a post claiming that Janhvi had objected to certain shots in the film during post-production.
The post read, “It is easy to blame an actress for the roles she takes, but the actual timeline tells a different story. Reports show that Janhvi Kapoor explicitly questioned these shots during post-production, a boundary that perfectly mirrors her recent public stance against the industry’s habit of oversexualizing women.”
The post further claimed that Janhvi had objected to the camera angles used in some scenes. It stated, “She drew a professional line, but the final edit kept the footage anyway. This isn’t a case of an actress failing to stand up for herself. It is a director choosing to ignore a boundary because he decided her consent mattered less than his box office numbers.”
Recently, following the controversy over the hypersexualisation of her character in the film, several fan clubs of the actor shared screenshots of text messages that were purportedly sent by Janhvi to them. The messages appeared to suggest that she had repeatedly raised concerns about the way certain scenes featuring her character were being filmed.
One of the most widely circulated screenshots is dated 30 October. In the conversation, Janhvi allegedly claimed that she had specifically asked for certain camera angles not to be used during filming. “I told him no b**b and waist shots. And Ram sir is so sweet he also yelled at him and said you will not take such angles of her ever again. So he got upset,” Janhvi wrote. The actor has not publicly reacted to the criticism so far.
The scenes that drew criticism
Since the film’s release, viewers have criticised the way Janhvi’s character, Achiyyamma, is introduced on screen. Many pointed to sequences that focus heavily on her body rather than establishing her as a character. Another scene that came under scrutiny involves Peddi expressing his desire to be with Achiyyamma despite her lack of interest and later kissing her during a power cut without her consent.
Following the backlash, director Buchi Babu Sana issued an apology on X and acknowledged the concerns raised by audiences. A part of his statement read, “I have always had immense respect for women, both on and off screen, and it was never our intention to objectify or disrespect any female character. If any part of the film has been perceived that way, we respect those sentiments, understand the concerns being raised, and sincerely apologise. After reviewing the feedback, we have decided to make changes to the concerned portions.”
About Peddi’s box office performance
Despite the backlash, Peddi continues to perform strongly at the box office. The film has collected ₹126 crore net in India and over ₹190 crore worldwide. It also stars Ram Charan, Boman Irani, Divyenndu and Shiva Rajkumar in key roles.