Janhvi Kapoor’s Make-Up Artist Backs Actor Amid ‘Peddi’ Backlash Over Character Portrayal

Filmmaker Buchi Babu Sana’s sports action drama Peddi, which released in theatres on June 4, has come under criticism from a section of viewers over the alleged hypersexualisation of Janhvi Kapoor’s character. Amid the ongoing debate, the actor has received public support from her make-up artist, who shared a post suggesting that Janhvi had objected to certain shots in the film.

Taking to Instagram Stories on Saturday, Janhvi Kapoor’s make-up artist Savleen Kaur Manchanda reshared a post that claimed the actor had raised concerns about some scenes during the post-production stage.

The post stated that while actors are often blamed for the roles they take on, “the actual timeline tells a different story,” alleging that Janhvi Kapoor had explicitly questioned certain shots and camera angles. It further claimed that despite her objections and what it described as a “professional boundary,” the final edit retained the footage.

The post also criticised the filmmaker’s decision-making, suggesting that the actor’s consent was overlooked in favour of commercial considerations.

Separately, fan pages circulating on social media have also shared alleged screenshots of messages attributed to Janhvi, in which she is said to have raised concerns about the filming of certain scenes. One widely circulated screenshot dated October 30 purportedly shows her objecting to specific camera angles, though the actor has not publicly commented on the authenticity of these messages.

The controversy stems from audience criticism of how Janhvi’s character, Achiyyamma, is introduced in the film, with some viewers pointing to sequences that focus heavily on her physical appearance rather than character development. Another scene that drew backlash involves an interaction between the characters Peddi and Achiyyamma, which viewers have described as lacking clear consent.

Following the criticism, director Buchi Babu Sana issued a public apology on X, stating that there was never any intention to disrespect or objectify women in the film. He added that the team respects audience concerns and would make changes to the relevant portions after reviewing feedback.

Despite the controversy, Peddi continues to perform strongly at the box office, earning around ₹126 crore net in India and over ₹190 crore worldwide. The film also stars Ram Charan, Boman Irani, Divyenndu, and Shiva Rajkumar in key roles.