Remember Janhvi Kapoor's song from the Telugu film Peddi that sparked widespread criticism over the sexualised portrayal of her character? Months after the controversy erupted, the actress has finally addressed the issue publicly. Speaking on the latest episode of Koffee With Karan alongside Varun Dhawan, Janhvi admitted that she could have done more to raise concerns about the portrayal and said she would “forever carry” the shame of the incident.
During the conversation, host Karan Johar brought up the controversy and spoke about the online trolling Janhvi faced.
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Calling her “emotionally strong,” he also highlighted the difference between being considered sexy and being sexualised, before asking the actress how she dealt with the criticism.
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Janhvi Kapoor Says She Will ‘Forever Carry Shame' Of Peddi Controversy
Karan Johar said, “It takes a lot of strength to deal with all the internet craziness that you have been subjected to in the last one or two years. Everybody knows Janhvi Kapoor is sexy; there's a difference between being sexy and being sexualised. So, what happened with the Peddi controversy? I know it really affected you in more ways than one because I spoke to you on the day it happened.”
Janhvi interrupted, acknowledging his support during that period, saying, “You spoke to me through that process.”
Karan then pointed out how reactions to the controversy were divided. While some people sympathised with Janhvi over the sexualised portrayal of her character, others questioned why she had not stopped it herself despite being present on the set.
Addressing the criticism, Janhvi explained, “I felt many things, Karan. The reason I was so apprehensive to talk about it was that many people worked hard on that film, and I really didn't know what to say or if there was anything really to even say because it's important that I take ownership from my half of…whatever that fiasco was because it weighs heavily on my conscience the sort of negative impact and a narrative like that can have on our society, specific to my gender.”
Janhvi added, “I think that shame I will always carry with me. Could have I done more? Could I have been more vigilant? Could have I made a bigger scene? A hundred percent, yes. Was it problematic? Was it extreme objectification? Did it even propagate sexual assault narratively? Yes.”
Janhvi Kapoor Says She Could Have Done More
Janhvi went on to say, “The only thing that I can do is to ensure that it doesn't happen again. I went through the beats of really beating myself up of ‘I should have been more vigilant. I should have made a bigger scene.' Again, I don't like saying this because it sounds like I am shifting blame but you know how it's like, ‘Yes, whatever the director says, you have to be professional, you have to listen to the director.'”
Explaining the challenges she faced during the filmmaking process, Janhvi said scripts in the South Indian film industry do not always include detailed visual directions or camera angles, making it difficult for actors to anticipate how scenes will eventually appear on screen.
“I was really navigating how to make things less problematic as best I thought, as and when information was becoming available to me. Having said that, I also need to take responsibility for my half of it,” she said.
The actress also spoke about her privilege and how she could have used it to make her concerns heard. “I do come from a place of privilege; I should have taken advantage of that because I am going to get the sh*t for being privileged anyway. So, I might as well have leveraged it.”
Janhvi Kapoor Says It Was A ‘Violating Experience'
During the conversation, Karan also asked Janhvi whether director Buchi Babu Sana had disappointed her or whether the situation had unfolded differently from what he had intended.
Janhvi appeared hesitant while responding, explaining, “God, I really get so conscious when I speak about this because I don't want to sound like that, I am trying to be the victim here. It was a violating experience in a way.”
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What Is The Peddi Controversy About?
The controversy began when the first-look song featuring Janhvi Kapoor in the Ram Charan-led Peddi was released. Social media users criticised the way her character, Achiyyamma was presented. Viewers objected to the sexualised portrayal of the character, arguing that the visuals and choreography crossed the line into objectification.
Following the controversy, director Buchi Babu Sana apologised to viewers who felt uncomfortable and said changes would be made to the disputed portions.
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