Responding to the controversy surrounding her latest film, Peddi, Janhvi Kapoor admitted that she had undergone “extreme objectification” at the hands of writer-director Buchi Babu Sana. She also claimed that she was unaware of the camera angles while some of those scenes were being shot, admitting that she could have been more vigilant and raised stronger objections.
Clips from her appearance on Koffee With Karan soon went viral, with fans quick to point out what they perceived as hypocrisy in her statements. Several users highlighted that her filmography features numerous skin-revealing sequences, including a kissing scene with Varun Dhawan in front of schoolchildren in Bawaal (2023). Some even claimed that there was hardly a film in which Janhvi had not exposed her midriff. “Nobody forced her to sign Peddi,” remarked another section of social media users.
Janhvi’s role in NTR’s Devara was also widely criticised for being little more than eye candy, while some users pointed to her Instagram content to question her latest statements. Amid the backlash, several fans have accused the actress of playing the victim card and labelled her remarks as double standards. Her comments have consequently triggered another round of debate over the portrayal of female actors in commercial cinema and their responsibility towards the roles they choose.