Peddi Director Reacts To Backlash Over Janhvi Kapoors Role

Ram Charan’s much-hyped sports drama Peddi may be drawing huge crowds to theatres, but the film is also facing strong criticism online over the portrayal of its female lead, Janhvi Kapoor.

Several viewers have questioned the way her character, Achiyyamma, has been written and presented in the film.

The criticism has mainly focused on the romantic track between Achiyyamma and Peddi, played by Ram Charan.

Amid the growing debate, director Buchi Babu Sana has responded to the backlash.

Speaking to the media, he admitted that he did not expect audiences to react so strongly to those scenes.

“I had not anticipated that the scenes would be perceived so negatively by audiences,” the filmmaker said.

Buchi Babu explained that the creative team’s original idea for the relationship was very different from how it was received on screen.

According to him, the intention was to present a playful romantic track between Ram Charan and Janhvi Kapoor, not to make viewers uncomfortable.

However, the director acknowledged the criticism and said the team would be more careful in the future.

“We’ll be more careful and make better representations,” he said.

Why The Romance Track Became Controversial

The controversy began with the introduction of Janhvi Kapoor’s character, Achiyyamma.

Many viewers felt that the camera focused excessively on her body, reducing her character to an object of desire rather than giving her emotional depth or agency.

Some scenes involving Peddi’s behaviour towards Achiyyamma also drew criticism.

Viewers said the film failed to handle issues of consent and boundaries sensitively, especially in scenes where the heroine’s discomfort is not given enough importance.

Critics also argued that Achiyyamma’s pain is quickly sidelined in the narrative, while the focus shifts back to the male characters and the hero’s journey.

As a result, what was intended to be a romance track has now become one of the most debated aspects of the film.

Peddi revolves around the journey of Peddi, played by Ram Charan, a gifted athlete who uses sport to bring recognition and pride to his village.

Set in the villages of Andhra Pradesh’s Vizianagaram region, the film explores themes of identity, ambition, community pride and rural emotions.

The film also stars Shiva Rajkumar and Jagapathi Babu in key roles.

It is produced by Venkata Satish Kilaru under Vriddhi Cinemas, co-produced by Ishan Saksena under IVY Entertainment, and presented by Mythri Movie Makers and Sukumar Writings.

While Peddi continues to perform strongly at the box office, the debate over Janhvi Kapoor’s portrayal has now become a major talking point around the film.