Peddi, starring Ram Charan and Janhvi Kapoor, has been surrounded by controversy ever since its release. Although Buchi Babu Sana’s directorial opened with impressive numbers and minted Rs 51 crore on Day 1, it also drew strong reactions from fans and critics over the portrayal of Janhvi Kapoor’s character, who was hypersexualised, while the male lead, Ram Charan, even kisses her without her consent. The sequence was slammed by netizens, following which director Buchi Babu Sana had to apologise over the matter. Now, Peddi lyricist Anantha Sriram has defended the director’s creative freedom.
What did the Peddi lyricist say about Buchi Babu Sana?
At an event, Sriram defended the director’s creative freedom. He argued that while people often appreciate complex and sophisticated expressions, they tend to criticise simple, colloquial language used by a character.
According to him, evaluating fictional characters through the lens of modern standards and social media reactions can restrict creative freedom. He added that director Buchi Babu may have apologised out of courtesy or to avoid hurting anyone’s sentiments.
“That is, if you use big words like vital attraction, hormonal reactions, etc., it is called awesome as if it is done very aesthetically. If the hero speaks his tribal language and says, ‘I will touch you, it is called vulgarity; they say that he looked at you like an object. If you do all this, it is like trampling on creativity,” he said.
He added that if it continues like this, then Sana will not be able to “make a great point in commercial films, except in documentary films in the first place.”
What did Peddi director said over Janhvi Kapoor’s hypersexualisation ?
After Peddi was slammed by audience and critics, Buchi Babu Sana had to apologise to the audience. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), he said he never wanted anyone to feel uncomfortable. “We have heard the feedback regarding certain scenes in Peddi and have taken it seriously,” the statement read.