The portrayal of Janhvi Kapoor's character in Peddi sparked widespread criticism from viewers.The release of Peddi, starring Ram Charan and Janhvi Kapoor, sparked widespread debate online, with criticism centring on the portrayal of Janhvi’s character, Achiyamma. Many viewers accused the film of objectifying the character, while several social media discussions questioned the way she was written and presented on screen. Some also criticised Janhvi for taking on a role that, in their view, caters heavily to the male gaze. The controversy soon grew into a larger conversation about the objectification of women in mainstream cinema.‘Objectification of women is a trend’Amid the backlash, actor Nithya Menen weighed in on the broader issue. Although she admitted she has neither watched Peddi nor followed the controversy closely, she defended the South Indian film industry against claims that the problem is unique to it. Speaking to Variety India, Nithya said, “I don’t think we can isolate and say that this only happens in South Indian cinema. That is not true. I feel it’s everywhere. It’s a trend and everybody follows it.”She argued that the issue stems from the increasing commercialization of films. “I feel the root of the problem lies in the hyper-commercialization of cinema. Whatever works commercially and titillates the audience is often indulged in for mass success. Is it too much? Absolutely. I wonder if actors should actually have better boundaries and the person who’s performing the scene should be able to put their foot down and say they are not okay with being objectified.”‘Important for actress to have strong convictions’Nithya also stressed the importance of actors having a clear sense of their own boundaries and responsibilities. “I think it is important for an actress to have strong convictions. I can’t imagine anybody telling me to do something because it’s already established. I would not do certain roles or scenes. It depends on what your priorities are and what you think your responsibility is as an actor or artist.”Also Read | Bobby Deol’s Bandar remains captive to its own parochial provocationsAccording to her, female actors should make their stance clear from the beginning of their careers. “If you have been doing this kind of commercial cinema and suddenly you are not okay with it, you may not be taken seriously. I also don’t believe that you end up helpless in a situation. You can assert yourself. It depends on what that person’s priority is. Are there films that I don’t get to do or genres that I don’t get to do because I don’t do certain kinds of stuff? Yes. But I am okay with it because I choose that over fame. If you only want to be a top star and are willing to do anything to get there, then that is a call you have taken.”Buchi Babu addresses criticismMeanwhile, Peddi director Buchi Babu Sana responded to the criticism and acknowledged the concerns raised by audiences. In an interview with SCREEN, he admitted that he had not expected such a strong reaction to the scenes in question. “I had not anticipated that the scenes would be perceived so negatively by audiences,” Buchi said. The filmmaker added that the backlash has prompted him to rethink how female characters are portrayed in his films. “The idea was to showcase a playful romance story between Ram Charan and Janhvi Kapoor. However, we’ll be more careful and make better representations.”