Singer Sumangali Ariyanayagam has publicly criticized the makers of Ram Charan’s film Peddi, adding to the backlash already building around the movie over its portrayal of Janhvi Kapoor’s character, Achiyamma. The controversy centers on allegations that the character has been overly sexualized and stripped of dignity in the film’s presentation. Sumangali shared her remarks on Instagram, saying that the filmmakers appeared to have deliberately denied the character the basic respect and humanity that any person deserves.
In her post, Sumangali argued that the film’s creators set out to tell a story about the pain of powerless men, yet in the same breath reduced the female lead to little more than a body on camera, a forced object of affection, and something to be discarded once the song sequences ended. Her comments reflect a broader criticism being directed at the film, with many viewers objecting to the way Achiyamma is filmed and written.
Online reactions have also intensified, with a viral post from a recommendation community describing Peddi as one of the most insulting portrayals ever faced by an Indian actress. Janhvi Kapoor reportedly liked that post, drawing further attention to the debate and suggesting that the criticism resonated with her as well. Sumangali amplified that discussion by reposting and responding to it publicly.
Reports have also claimed that Janhvi Kapoor had reservations during the film’s shooting about how her character was being shaped, but that those concerns were overlooked. According to these allegations, director Buchi Babu Sana proceeded to include the scenes despite the objections, prioritizing commercial appeal over character integrity. The controversy has now grown beyond a simple disagreement over creative choices and is being framed as a larger issue about how women are represented in mainstream cinema.
Critics say the film gives Ram Charan’s character clear social and political purpose, while the heroine is treated primarily as an object for visual consumption. They argue that the director focuses excessively on showcasing Janhvi Kapoor’s body rather than developing Achiyamma as a full, humane character. This has led to accusations of hypocrisy, since the film reportedly condemns the denial of human identity as a social evil while failing to extend that same humanity to its female lead.
Particular outrage has been directed at scenes in which the character is reportedly touched without consent and forcibly kissed in a moment of power failure, yet these sequences are presented as romance. Viewers have also objected to the aftermath of the assault-like moment, where another male character allegedly asks the heroine to suppress her pain for the sake of her father’s political future. For many critics, such storytelling normalizes violence while disguising it as emotion or love.
As the debate continues, Peddi remains under fire for what many see as a troubling and regressive portrayal of women on screen.
