Janhvi Kapoor says Peddi was extreme objectification on Koffee with Karan

Months after Peddi opened in theatres, Janhvi Kapoor has finally addressed the backlash on Koffee with Karan 9. In a conversation with Karan Johar, she didn’t defend the film’s framing. Instead, she called it out in plain terms: “extreme objectification” and, in her words, “a violating experience in a way.”

It’s a rare admission for a lead actor to make about a project she fronted. Most stars stop at “the intent was different.” Janhvi went further, saying the criticism “weighs heavily on my conscience” and that she carries “that shame” with her.

What Janhvi said on the couch

When Karan Johar asked how she dealt with the controversy, Janhvi said many people had worked hard on the film, but that didn’t change how she viewed the result. She asked herself, “Was it problematic, was it extreme objectification? Did it even propagate sexual assault narratively? Yes.” She also said she could have been “more vigilant” from the start.

She described the weeks after the criticism as a spiral of self-blame. “I went through the beats of really beating up myself,” she said. The actress added that she does not want to sound like she is shifting blame, but she was listening to the director while trying to make things less problematic as information reached her.

Why Peddi drew fire

Peddi, directed by Buchi Babu Sana, released on June 4, 2026. Ram Charan plays the title role and Janhvi plays Achiyyamma, his love interest. The backlash centred on how Achiyyamma was introduced: viewers felt the camera focused on her body rather than building her as a person. A later scene also drew strong reactions — Peddi kisses her during a power cut without her consent.

After the outrage, Buchi Babu Sana apologised on X, said the team never intended to disrespect a female character, and promised changes to the concerned portions. That apology is now backed by Janhvi’s own account of why it went wrong.

The process gap she pointed to

Her most practical observation was about how the film was made. In the south, she said, “very rarely” is there a bound script, and she rarely saw the camera angles in advance. That made it hard to know how a scene would read on screen until after it was shot.

A bound script locks dialogue and action before production, which gives an actor the chance to question how a character is presented. When scripts are loose and shots are discovered on set, the lead actress may not realise she is being framed as a body until the edit is already done. That gap, she suggested, is where the failure happened.

She also said she should have taken advantage of her privilege. That is the key shift: not just blaming the process, but acknowledging she had agency she didn’t use.

What she wants next

Janhvi said the only thing she can do is make sure it doesn’t happen again. She hopes directors will “rethink twice” before presenting a lead actress this way. If that happens, the backlash will have produced a change rather than just an apology.

For actors and creators watching this unfold, the takeaway is practical:

• Ask how your character will be introduced and shot before you sign.
• Push for a bound script or a detailed scene breakdown.
• Use whatever privilege you have to raise concerns early.

What to watch next

The Peddi team has already committed to making edits. Janhvi’s interview puts the responsibility back on the process, not just the audience reading of it. The real test is whether the changed portions actually land on screen — and whether the next director frames a lead actress differently.

Source: The Times of India