Veteran actress and politician Jaya Bachchan weighed in on the ongoing controversy surrounding Peddi, criticising the objectification of women in cinema and stressing the importance of addressing such issues immediately on film sets.
Her remarks come at a time when Peddi has come under scrutiny for the portrayal of Janhvi Kapoor’s character, Achiyamma, opposite actor Ram Charan. Several viewers and industry members have accused the film of hypersexualising the female lead.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Bachchan reflected on a personal experience from her own acting career when she felt a filmmaker attempted to objectify her on screen. She said she took a firm stand at the time and ensured the issue did not repeat itself.
“Nobody ever dared to cross the line with me,” she said, adding, “I had only one unpleasant experience of being objectified by the director. I never worked with him again.”
According to reports, Bachchan was referring to an incident during the making of Shor. In the film, she played a streetwalker, and a disagreement reportedly arose when the director wanted her character to be dressed in a particular way throughout the movie. Bachchan insisted on covering her upper body with a dupatta, leading to a conflict between them.
The veteran actress, who has frequently spoken about issues affecting the entertainment industry in Parliament, said such matters should be confronted when they occur rather than ignored.
The controversy surrounding Peddi erupted after audiences pointed out several scenes in which the camera repeatedly focuses on Janhvi Kapoor’s navel, waistline and cleavage. One particular sequence has drawn criticism, with viewers objecting to a scene in which Ram Charan’s character kisses Achiyamma without her consent and later attempts to justify his actions as an expression of love.
The backlash has prompted reactions from several members of the film fraternity. As criticism mounted, director Buchi Babu Sana issued a public apology and announced that the scenes in question would be removed from the film.
In his statement, the filmmaker acknowledged the concerns raised by audiences and said he would be more mindful of such issues in the future.
However, despite the apology being issued two days ago, the controversial scenes reportedly remain part of the film’s theatrical version.
