The Indian film industry played a major role in popularizing theme songs that evolved from the courtesan and cabaret dance performances seen in old films. While many of the item songs are lively and visually appealing, an important question remains. Do some films reduce women to mere visual appeal instead of giving them meaningful roles?The controversy surrounding the film ‘Peddi’ has opened up discussions about a much larger issue within mainstream cinema in South India. While the Ram Charan and Janhvi Kapoor leads performed strongly at the box office, online conversations shifted the focus towards the portrayal of Janhvi Kapoor’s character Achiyama and how female characters are often written out in commercial films.
“Bidi” controversy.
Soon after the film’s release, discussions started surfacing across social media platforms. Many viewers questioned the importance given to Achiyyamma in the narrative. Some have argued that the character had limited impact on the story and was primarily there to support the male protagonist’s journey.
Criticism intensified when the audience discussed the scenes and visual presentation within the film.The backlash eventually prompted director Buchi Babu Sanna to respond publicly.
He acknowledged the audience’s comments and stated that changes would be made to the parts that received criticism.The conversation gained more attention after reports claimed that Janhvi Kapoor liked a social media post criticizing the treatment of her character.
Ashika Ranganath defends Janhvi Kapoor
Ashika Ranganath recently used her Instagram Stories to respond to the criticism surrounding Janhvi Kapoor’s role as Achiyyamma in the film Peddi.
The caption read: “Don’t blame the actress. Blame the system and the filmmakers who still think that’s what sells. Actors often work within their opportunities, hoping to be part of bigger films and reach a wider audience. If female characters feel supported, the responsibility lies more with the writing and filmmaking choices than with the women playing those roles.”
“Janhvi Kapoor was reportedly mentioned Srileela As reported by India Today, several screenshots have spread rapidly across social media in the last day.
The alleged exchanges seem to indicate that concerns associated with Janhvi Kapoor’s role may have existed before the public criticism surrounding the film gained momentum.Among the messages circulating online, Janhvi reportedly discussed the role fathers can play during film shoots.Referring to actress Srileela, she allegedly suggested that the actress is often accompanied by her mother during work commitments.The screenshots also claimed that Janhvi also thought about how the situations would have been different if her father, producer Boney Kapoor, had been present during the shoot.
Safleen Kaur Manchanda He appeared to support Janhvi Kapoor
Amid the discussions, Janhvi Kapoor’s makeup artist, Savleen Kaur Manchanda, appeared to extend support to the actress on social media.On Saturday, she shared an Instagram story with a post suggesting that Janhvi had earlier questioned some scenes during post-production.
“It’s easy to blame the actress for the roles she takes on, but the actual timeline tells a different story,” the post read. Reports show that Janhvi Kapoor openly questioned these shots during post-production, boundaries that perfectly reflect her recent public stance against the industry’s habit of over-sexualizing women.
“The statement also read: “I drew a professional line, but the final edit kept the footage anyway.
This is not a case of the actress failing to stand up for herself. He’s a director who chooses to ignore boundaries because he’s decided that their approval is less important than his box office numbers.
Questions persist about female representation
The larger debate around Peddi has also drawn attention to recurring criticisms aimed at mainstream Bollywood, Telugu and Tamil cinema. For years, viewers and critics have pointed out concerns about the way women are presented in many commercial films.Many female characters are often seen as romantic extras or charming elements in male-driven stories. Songs, camera angles and visual presentation often became part of these discussions.
Similar discussions have emerged about other films
Coming to South cinema, ‘Peddi’ is not the only film to face such conversations. Similar discussions have emerged about several high-profile products in recent years.
From “Pushpa” to “Kangova”
‘Pushpa: The Rise’ and its sequel have sparked discussions over actress Rashmika Mandanna’s role of Srivalli. Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s ‘Oo Antava’ also divided opinions among audiences.Questions also emerged around Allu Arjun’s ‘Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo’, with viewers discussing the treatment of Pooja Hegde’s character and how the heroine defines her beauty in the so-called initial ‘romantic’ sequences.Suriya starrer ‘Kanguva’ also became part of similar discussions after comments surrounding Disha Patani’s role as Angela gained attention online.Defending the film, Neha wrote: “Angela’s character is not the entire focus of Kanjova.
She can’t control 2.5 hours of film! It’s basic, so yes, it was there to look pretty!!! (sic).”
‘Katalan’ actor Kabir Duhan Singh talks about what makes ‘good cinema’
Recently, actor Kabir Duhan Singh shared his thoughts with ETimes regarding the factors that contribute to making meaningful cinema. He told us, “Malayalam cinema has mastered the art of delivering quality films on limited budgets. What I really like about him is the kind of trust he places in his directors. He gives complete creative freedom, and I truly believe that when a producer trusts the director’s vision wholeheartedly, good cinema happens.”
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Building the character remains equally important, says Dinesh Prabhakar, star of Drishyam 3
Actor Dinesh Prabhakar also spoke to ETimes about how carefully he shapes the performances and characters while making films.“Jithu Joseph sir tells us about the characters in detail: the little expressions or observations, and how much we should raise the bar or lower it.”“Even if it’s a comedy or comedy series, we have to keep it at a certain level. We can do it a little low, a little subdued, or somewhere in the middle,” he added.Dinesh also said, “In this case, how expressive the character is, what kind of look is required, what kind of dialogue editing should be used, what kind of voice and pitch should be used – all these things are explained in detail. If we do it right, there won’t be any corrections. On Jeethu sir’s sets, the shooting atmosphere is very relaxed.”He added: “There are no major tensions or pressures. The shooting progresses naturally, like a normal conversation.
There is no tension between the actors. On some sets, actors may feel nervous. Be it memorizing dialogue, movement or expression, there is no such thing here. “Everything is so great.”“I have acted in Anthikkad sir’s films. Even then, I said we don’t even realize how shooting is done,” Dinesh concluded.
The way forward: Toward more respectful and accurate female representation
Conversations around “Peddi” suggest that viewers are increasingly interested in storytelling choices and character development, not just entertainment value.Focusing on Malayalam cinema, the majority have produced many films that give women great agency, emotional depth, and narrative centrality – often without relying on glamor or objectification. The best recent example is “Feminichi Fatima” which shows Mollywood’s strength in character-driven storytelling that prioritizes women’s voices and nuanced empowerment.