Director Buchi Babu Sana has broken his silence on the growing controversy surrounding the portrayal of Janhvi Kapoor’s character in Peddi, acknowledging audience criticism and admitting that the team did not anticipate the strong backlash the film would receive over allegations of objectification and problematic representation of women.
The Ram Charan and Janhvi Kapoor-starrer sports drama has emerged as one of the most discussed films of the year, but not entirely for reasons its makers may have expected. Since its release, social media platforms have been flooded with criticism directed at the treatment of Janhvi’s character, Achiyamma. Many viewers have argued that the character lacks agency and exists largely as a romantic interest for the male protagonist rather than as a fully developed individual.
Several scenes in the film have drawn particular scrutiny, with audiences questioning the depiction of romance and consent. Critics online have accused the film of relying on the male gaze and reducing the female lead to a series of glamour-focused moments rather than giving her a meaningful role in the story.
Responding to the controversy, Buchi Babu Sana said he was surprised by the reaction. According to the filmmaker, the team did not foresee that certain scenes would be interpreted as problematic or offensive by viewers. He acknowledged that audience feedback had prompted serious introspection and said the criticism would influence his approach moving forward.
The director stated that filmmakers must pay attention to changing audience expectations and social sensitivities. While defending the intention behind the film, he admitted that some aspects of the portrayal may not have resonated with viewers in the way the makers had hoped. He added that the team had taken note of the concerns and would be more careful in future projects.
At the same time, an older interview of Janhvi resurfaced online and quickly went viral. In the interview, she spoke about the importance of consent and criticised the sexualisation of women without their approval. The timing of the clip’s resurgence led many users to connect her previous remarks with the ongoing debate surrounding Peddi.
The backlash has largely centred on the writing of Achiyamma rather than Janhvi’s performance. Even some viewers who praised the film’s scale and Ram Charan’s performance argued that the female lead deserved a more substantial role within the narrative. Critics maintained that the character was introduced with promise but ultimately lacked meaningful development.
Peddi, directed by Buchi Babu Sana and starring Ram Charan and Janhvi Kapoor, was mounted as a major pan-India project with a reported budget of around ₹300 crore. The film follows the journey of a wrestler and has been promoted as a large-scale sports drama.
Despite the controversy, the film continues to generate strong public interest. However, conversations around Achiyamma’s portrayal have increasingly overshadowed discussions about the film’s performances, action sequences and production values.