Janhvi Kapoor, on Koffee With Karan, described her experience filming Peddi as objectifying and violating. She expressed regret over the portrayal of her character and hoped directors would reconsider how female leads are presented in films. Kapoor emphasized the need for vigilance and accountability to prevent such portrayals in the future.
After director Buchi Babu Sana's Ram Charan-Janhvi Kapoor starrer Peddi made news earlier this year for the problematic portrayal of Kapoor's character, Achiamma, in the film, Kapoor has officially commented on the discourse in the latest episode of Koffee With Karan Season 9.
Sharing the infamous KWK couch with co-star Varun Dhawan in the newest episode of the show's last season, the actor described her experience filming Peddi as one of objectification, calling it a "violating experience in a way." Kapoor elaborated on how the incident affected her personally, where she blamed herself and where she felt the responsibility should have been taken. She also said that she hoped the incident would encourage directors to reconsider how they present lead actresses in films before making similar choices.
When Johar brought up the controversy, he asked Kapoor how she dealt with situation. The actor explained, "I feel many people worked really hard on that film, and I really didn’t know if there was anything to say. It weighs heavily on my conscience the sort of negative impact a narrative like that can have on our society."
She added that the incident left her insecure in whether it was something she could have prevented herself. "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. Was it problematic, was it extreme objectification? Did it even propagate sexual assault narratively? Yes."
Kapoor also stated that the only solution in her hands currently is to ensure such a portrayal is not repeated. "But the only thing I can do is ensure that it doesn’t happen again."
Speaking on how the incident affected her personally, she commented on the impact of the criticism. "I went through the beats of really beating myself that I should have been more vigilant." She added, "I was navigating how to make things less problematic as and when information was becoming available to me."
Kapoor further addressed that on the sets of films in the South Indian industries, scripts are not always bound and that knowing so, she should have been more aware on the set. "In the south, very rarely there is a bound script. Very rarely do you see the camera angles. I should have taken advantage of my privilege."
She also added that she hoped the discourse would make filmmakers more wary while portraying female leads. "The good thing that came out of it is that maybe next time a director will rethink twice before presenting a lead actress this way."
In June this year, Buchi Babu responded to the backlash through a post on X, apologising for the portrayal and reassuring fans that the film would be altered.
His post read, "As a filmmaker, I believe cinema should entertain, inspire, and connect with audiences. It should never make anyone feel uncomfortable or disrespected. We have heard the feedback regarding certain scenes in Peddi and have taken it seriously. 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 apologize."
The filmmaker further added that the film would be modified. "After reviewing the feedback, we have decided to make changes to the concerned portions. Cinema grows through its connection with audiences, and as storytellers, we have a responsibility to be mindful of evolving perspectives and sensitivities. Every woman deserves to be respected, valued, and represented with dignity. We remain committed to telling stories that celebrate strong characters and uphold those values," he wrote.