Janhvi apologizes for spreading 'sexual assault narrative' in 'Peddi'
What's the story
Actor Janhvi Kapoor has acknowledged her role in the controversy surrounding Peddi. Speaking on Koffee With Karan Season 9 with Varun Dhawan, she admitted that she should have been "more vigilant" about the objectification of her character, Achiyamma. The sports drama directed by Buchi Babu Sana and starring Ram Charan faced backlash for its portrayal of Kapoor's character.
Acknowledgment
'Was it problematic, was it extreme objectification?'
Kapoor said, "It weighs heavily on my conscience the sort of negative impact a narrative like that can have on our society."
"Specific to my gender...That shame I will always carry with me."
"Could I have done more? Could I have been more vigilant? 100% yes," she said on the show.
"Was it problematic, was it extreme objectification? Did it even propagate sexual assault narratively? Yes."
"But the only thing I can do is ensure that it doesn't happen again."
Defense
The actor defended herself amid criticism
Kapoor defended herself, saying, "I was navigating how to make things less problematic as and when information was becoming available to me because, you know this, I can just say that very rarely is there a bound script."
"But having said that, I need to also take responsibility for my half of it."
She added, "I do come from a place of privilege...So I might as well have leveraged it."
Controversy
What was the controversy all about?
The controversy surrounding Peddi stemmed from the hypersexualization of Kapoor's character.
Viewers criticized how Achiyamma was introduced on screen, with many highlighting scenes that focused more on her body than her character.
Another scene that drew ire involved Peddi (Charan) expressing his desire to be with Achiyamma despite her disinterest and later kissing her without consent during a power outage.
Apology
Director Sana apologized for the same
In response to the backlash, director Sana issued an apology on X (formerly Twitter) for Kapoor's portrayal in Peddi.
He stated that it was never his intention to disrespect or objectify women.
The controversial scenes were also altered or, in some cases, removed from the theatrical version of the film.