Veteran actor Jaya Bachchan He has spoken out against the objectification of women in cinema amid ongoing debate Janhvi KapoorCharacter in ‘Peddi’. In an interview with Deccan Chronicle, Bachchan reflected on an incident in his career when he resisted a filmmaker’s attempt to portray him in a more sexualized manner.His comments come at a time when ‘Peddi’ is grappling with backlash over the portrayal of Janhvi’s character, Achiyamma, opposite Ram Charan. The controversy has caused reactions among several members of the film fraternity, among others Kareena Kapoor KhanDirector Buchi Babu Sana, on the other hand, has already apologized and promised to remove the scenes that caused criticism.Known for frequently raising concerns related to the entertainment industry in Parliament, Bachchan insisted that such issues should be discussed immediately on set. Recalling his experience, he said that he took a firm stand when faced with a similar situation and never faced it again. “No one ever dared cross the line with me,” he said, “I had the only unpleasant experience of being objectified by the director. I never worked with him again.’According to the report, Bachchan was referring to an episode during the making of Manoj Kumar’s ‘Shor’, where he played a street urchin. The filmmaker reportedly wanted her character to be dressed in a ghagra-choli throughout the film. However, Bachchan insisted on pairing the outfit with a dupatta that covered her upper body, leading to disagreement between the two.In keeping with the conversation, kareena kapoor Khan argued that sensuality on screen should not be revealed by clothing. Looking back at past iconic performances, he cited examples of actors who captivated audiences without showing too much skin.“Look at Kajol in that song, Suraj in Hua Maddham Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, or Srideviji in Tere Mere Honthon Pe Chandni, who blew up the screen without showing any skin. I thought my mother-in-law (Sharmila Tagore) in that song from Aradhana, Roop Tere Tere Mastanara was covered in sensuality. Being sensual on screen has nothing to do with wearing revealing clothes or being objectified,” she said.Criticism surrounding ‘Peddi’ gained momentum after social media users called out what they termed as problematic portrayal of Janhvi’s character. Viewers pointed to several scenes in which the camera repeatedly focuses on her navel, pants and waist. In a sequence that sparked widespread controversy, Ram Charan’s character is shown kissing without permission and later defends the act as the only way he knows how to express love.Since then, the film has received objections from several voices in the industry regarding the treatment of the female lead. Responding to the growing backlash, Buchi Babu Sana released a statement on Saturday apologizing for the scenes in question and confirming that they would be removed from the film. He also said that he will consider such concerns more in the future.
