The Peddi Controversy Explained: What Happened, What the Director Said and Exactly What Janhvi Kapoor Has Now Admitted

Some controversies fade. This one didn't.

Months after Peddi hit theatres, Janhvi Kapoor has finally spoken at length about the backlash over her role, and she didn't hide behind a publicist's statement. She sat on the Koffee With Karan couch and owned it.

Here's the whole story, from the start.

The film

• Peddi is a sports drama written and directed by Buchi Babu Sana.

• Ram Charan plays the title role, with Shiva Rajkumar, Jagapathi Babu, Divyenndu and Boman Irani in the cast.

• Janhvi Kapoor plays Achiyamma, Peddi's love interest.

• It released on 4 June 2026 in Telugu, alongside Tamil, Hindi, Kannada and Malayalam versions, with a runtime of 189 minutes. It later began streaming on Netflix on 9 July.

Box office was big. Reviews were mixed. And within days, one part of the film became the main conversation.

What people objected to

Two things, mainly.

1. How Achiyamma was introduced and filmed. Viewers pointed out that her introduction and several scenes focused heavily on her body, through camera angles and close-ups, rather than establishing her as a person.

2. A non-consensual kiss. In one scene, Peddi, despite her clear lack of interest, kisses Achiyamma during a power cut. Many viewers online described it as sexual assault being played as romance.

The criticism spread fast, and it sparked a wider debate about how women are written and shot in big Indian films.

How the makers responded

On 6 June, two days after release, Buchi Babu Sana posted an apology on X. He said he had always had immense respect for women on and off screen, that it was never the team's intention to objectify anyone, and that they would change the portions that had caused discomfort. Reports later said the film would be re-edited.

Around the same time, Janhvi's make-up artist claimed on Instagram that Janhvi had objected to certain shots and "drew a professional line", but that the footage stayed in the final cut anyway. That was her claim, not a confirmed account, and Janhvi herself stayed silent publicly.

Until now.

Exactly what Janhvi said

On Koffee With Karan Season 9, episode 3, Karan asked her how she'd processed it all. Here's what she said, as closely as we can put it:

• She acknowledged that the portrayal was problematic and objectifying, and that it propagated sexual assault narratively.

• She said many people worked hard on the film, but that the harm such a narrative can do to society, especially to women, weighs on her conscience. She said she will always carry that shame.

• Asked whether she could have done more, she was blunt: "Could I have done more? Could I have been more vigilant? 100% yes."

• She said she should have used her privilege to push back harder, and that she had been beating herself up over it.

• She explained that she tried to make things less problematic as information reached her, and that in many South productions, scripts aren't fully locked and camera angles often aren't shared in advance. She was careful to add that she didn't want to sound like she was shifting the blame.

• She described the experience as violating, in a way.

• And her one silver lining: that directors might think twice before presenting a lead actress like this again. The only thing she can do now, she said, is make sure it doesn't happen again.
  

Why this matters

Indian actresses have spent decades being told to play along, smile at the promotions and never question the "director's vision". Janhvi could have done exactly that. Instead, she named the problem, took her share of the responsibility and explained the system that let it happen.

It doesn't undo what's on screen. But it's a rare moment of honesty from inside a big-budget machine, and it puts the conversation exactly where it belongs: on how films treat the women in them.

My take

I'll be honest. "I should have been more vigilant" shouldn't have to be the actress's burden alone. Writers, directors, editors and producers all signed off on those scenes. But Janhvi choosing to speak, instead of letting the silence stand, is how change starts.

The next time a script lands on a young actress's table, maybe she'll ask to see the camera angles first. And maybe, because of this, someone will actually show her.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Peddi controversy?

After Peddi released on 4 June 2026, viewers criticised how Janhvi Kapoor's character Achiyamma was filmed and written, including body-focused camera work and a non-consensual kiss during a power cut.

Did the Peddi director apologise?

Yes. Director Buchi Babu Sana apologised on X on 6 June 2026 and said the team would change the portions that drew criticism.

What did Janhvi Kapoor say about Peddi?

On Koffee With Karan Season 9, she said she should have been more vigilant and used her privilege, called the portrayal problematic and objectifying, and said she will carry that shame with her.

Where can I watch Peddi?

Peddi began streaming on Netflix on 9 July 2026.