Prateek Tanmay
3 min readNew DelhiJun 8, 2026 03:07 PM IST
At a time when Telugu film Peddi is making headlines over criticism that it objectifies Janhvi Kapoor’s character through repeated close-up shots and suggestive framing, several veteran actresses have reflected on an era when glamour and sensuality did not rely on excessive skin show. In a recent interview, veteran actresses Asha Parekh and Jaya Bachchan expressed their disappointment with the increasing objectification of women on screen.
Asha told Deccan Chronicle, “I remember once a director asked me to wear a revealing costume for a dance number. I looked him in the eye and asked, ‘Would you be happy if your daughter wore this costume?’ The dress was quietly dropped. The heroines today are so beautiful, they don’t need to objectify themselves. Look at how aesthetically Sanjay Leela Bhansali presents his heroines. They look so beautiful in his films. The same heroines are used differently, exploitatively, by other directors.”
Jaya Bachchan also spoke about maintaining boundaries throughout her career. “Nobody ever dared to cross the line with me,” she told the publication. Recalling a rare unpleasant experience, she added, “I had only one unpleasant experience of being objectified by a director. I never worked with him again.” Jaya was reportedly referring to her experience while shooting for Shor, directed by Manoj Kumar, in which she played a streetwalker.
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The discussion has also reignited conversations around whether actresses today should take a stronger stand against scenes they find uncomfortable or objectifying.
Responding to the debate, actress Taapsee Pannu told the publication, “As long as there is a camera, there will be awkward angles. One just needs to be self-aware.”
Since its release on June 4, Peddi has found itself at the centre of controversy. Critics and viewers have objected to what they describe as the unnecessary sexualisation of Janhvi Kapoor’s character, along with certain dialogues and scenes involving Ram Charan’s character. A particular sequence, which some viewers felt portrayed a forced kiss as an expression of love, also drew criticism on social media.
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The backlash eventually reached director Buchi Babu Sana, who took to X to announce that changes would be made to the contentious sequences. He also apologised to viewers whose sentiments were hurt, while maintaining that there was no intention to objectify Janhvi.
Neither Janhvi Kapoor nor Ram Charan has publicly addressed the controversy so far.
