Nahin chalega, nahin chalega!

What worked earlier no longer passes muster. Times have changed, and so have the rules around how sexuality is portrayed onscreen. When the song ‘Hellallallo’ from Ram Charan’s ‘Peddi’ dropped, it drew flak for being overly vulgar and sexualised. With the sports drama releasing on Friday (June 5), the controversy snowballed, as social media users complained that Janhvi Kapoor’s character, Achiyamma, lacked depth and served merely as a glamour prop. Some even argued that ‘Peddi’ normalises harassment and unwarranted advances. While the criticism hasn’t dented the box-office numbers, supporters insist the film is a rooted mass entertainer and that its emotional and sporting highs outweigh the romance track. The real plot twist, however, came when Janhvi briefly liked a post criticising her character’s portrayal before swiftly removing it. Fans are applauding people for speaking up, but who’s to say this isn’t a cleverly orchestrated PR move? Only insiders know.

Rs 135 cr
Approximate worldwide opening collection of ‘Peddi’