Peddi director Buchi Babu Sana admits ‘a few shots from Janhvi Kapoor’s track turned misleading', confirms removing them

Peddi director Buchi Babu Sana talked about the backlash for hypersexualistion of Janhvi Kapoor's character in film, revealing he has removed the scenes.

The makers of Ram Charan's sports action drama Peddi have been facing criticism over the alleged hypersexualisation of Janhvi Kapoor's character in the film. Following the backlash, director Buchi Babu Sana issued an apology and has now revealed that some of the controversial scenes have been removed from the film.

Buchi Babu Sana says controversial Janhvi Kapoor scenes from Peddi removed.

Buchi Babu Sana confirms removing Janhvi Kapoor's controversial scenes from Peddi

In an interview with Screen, Buchi Babu Sana addressed the criticism surrounding Janhvi Kapoor's character, Achiyyamma, and her romantic track with Ram Charan's Peddi. Sharing his perspective, the filmmaker said, "In my opinion, a lot of people misread Janhvi Kapoor’s track as unnecessary in an otherwise good story."

He further elaborated on the intent behind the scenes that drew criticism and admitted that some of them may have conveyed the wrong message. "In this film, I went a little radical, because Peddi comes from a remote place, somewhere far away from the hills. I wanted to show the rawness and later correct it in the end, saying that this guy is this way because of his upbringing and atmosphere. For such a character, he thinks he has to marry the woman he loves. In this process, a few shots turned misleading. We have taken corrective measures to remove them, and we have removed them," he said.

All about the backlash

Following the release, several viewers criticised the way Janhvi's character was presented on screen, arguing that the camera focused excessively on her physical appearance rather than establishing her personality or role in the narrative. The romance between Achiyyamma and Peddi also drew criticism, with audiences objecting to scenes in which Peddi expresses romantic interest despite her apparent reluctance. A later sequence, in which he kisses her during a power cut, became a major point of debate.

Buchi Babu had issued an apology and promised to make the corrections in the movie. He wrote on X, "I have always had immense respect for women, both on and off screen, and it was never our intention to objectify or disrespect any female character. If any part of the film has been perceived that way, we respect those sentiments, understand the concerns being raised, and sincerely apologise. Every woman deserves to be respected, valued, and represented with dignity. We remain committed to telling stories that celebrate strong characters and uphold those values."

Despite the backlash, Peddi, which stars Ram in lead role along with Jagapathi Babu, Shiva Rajkumar, Divyenndu and Boman Irani, has emerged as a success, collecting over ₹300 crore worldwide at the box office.