On the day Ram Charan’s Peddi was released, the film’s objectification of its female lead and the problematic portrayal of her character drew more attention than its content. Janhvi Kapoor has finally addressed the controversy on Koffee With Karan Season 9.
She said, “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 it. 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. I think that shame I will always carry with me.”
She added, “Could have I done more? Could have I 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 said she would ensure that such a situation does not happen again.
She further explained, “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.’ So, I was really navigating how to make things less problematic as best I thought, as and when information was becoming available to me, because in the South, there’s very rarely a bound script, and very rarely in those scripts you see, where the camera angles are.”
She concluded, “Having said that I also need to take responsibility for my half of it. I do come from a place of privilege, I should have taken advantage of that because I am going to get the shit for being privilege anyway. So, I might as well may have leveraged it.”