Janhvi Kapoor has addressed the Peddi controversy with unusual candour, admitting that the criticism around the film still weighs on her and that she believes she should have done more in the moment. On Koffee With Karan on JioHotstar, the actor did not sidestep the discomfort or the backlash, instead confronting both head-on in one of her most self-critical public comments yet.
Janhvi Kapoor Addresses The Peddi Controversy
Speaking about the film, Janhvi said, “The reason I was so apprehensive to talk about it was that many people worked hard on that film, and I really didn’t know what to say or if there was anything really to even say because it’s important that I take ownership from my half of…whatever that fiasco was because it weighs heavily on my conscience the sort of negative impact and a narrative like that can have on our society, specific to my gender. I think that shame I will always carry with me. Could I have done more? Could I have been more vigilant? Could I have made a bigger scene? A hundred percent, yes. Was it problematic? Was it extreme objectification? Did it even propagate sexual assault narratively? Yes.”
She went on to add, “The only thing that I can do is to ensure that it doesn’t happen again. I went through the beats of really beating myself up of ‘I should have been more vigilant. I should have made a bigger scene.’ Again, I don’t like saying this because it sounds like I am shifting blame but you know how it’s like, ‘Yes, whatever the director says, you have to be professional, you have to listen to the director.’ So, I was really navigating how to make things less problematic as best I thought, as and when information was becoming available to me, because in the South, there’s very rarely a bound script, and very rarely in those scripts you see, where the camera angles are but having said that I also need to take responsibility for my half of it. I do come from a place of privilege, I should have taken advantage of that because I am going to get the sh*t for being privilege anyway. So, I might as well may have leveraged it.”
Janhvi also said, “I really get so conscious when I speak about this because I don’t want to sound like that I am trying to be the victim here. It was a violating experience in a way. The good thing that came out of all this, is that maybe tomorrow someone else will think twice before they present a lead actress this way.”
What makes these remarks land harder is the absence of defensiveness. Janhvi is not merely responding to criticism around a film, she is placing herself inside that conversation and acknowledging the power, privilege and pressure that shaped her choices in real time.
Why Peddi Drew Attention
The debate around Peddi was never just about one performance. The film drew strong reactions because many viewers felt the presentation of Janhvi’s character crossed into extreme objectification, with scenes and visual framing that sparked wider discomfort about how a female lead was being positioned within the narrative. Her latest comments give that backlash a sharper afterlife, because she has now publicly agreed with the core criticism instead of resisting it.
Janhvi Kapoor’s Recent And Upcoming Work
The actor’s recent filmography shows just how visible this phase of her career has become. Over the last two years, Janhvi featured in Mr. & Mrs. Mahi, Ulajh and Devara: Part 1 in 2024, followed by Homebound, Param Sundari and Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari in 2025. In 2026, Peddi brought her back into Telugu cinema at a time when every screen choice was already under sharper scrutiny.
Looking ahead, Janhvi has Lag Ja Gale and Raaka in the pipeline, both listed for release after 2026. After the clarity and accountability in these remarks, her next moves will be watched not just for star value, but for what they say about the kind of roles she is willing to stand behind.
Stay tuned with us for the latest news, Hindi box office news, Hollywood news, OTT news, the latest Bollywood news, and the latest box office news.
