The Telugu film director Buchi Babu Sana issued a formal public apology, promising to cut controversial scenes from his new sports drama Peddi following intense international backlash regarding the hyper-sexualisation of actress Janhvi Kapoor.
The Vizianagaram-based film marked a massive box-office milestone by becoming lead actor Ram Charan’s first 100 crore rupee opening day grosser as a solo lead.
However, widespread public outrage erupted over sequences depicting the non-consensual kissing of Kapoor's character and close-up body shots, forcing production executives to initiate immediate digital alterations to the theatrical prints.
Cinema audiences and online commentators fiercely criticised a specific scene where the protagonist kisses the crying heroine without her consent, alongside another sequence involving an attempted sexual assault by village thugs.
Responding directly to the escalating anger, the filmmaker clarified that the creative team never intended to objectify or disrespect women, stating that cinema must always entertain without leaving viewers uncomfortable.
The feature film follows a determined young athlete navigating wrestling, cricket, and para-sports to bring regional recognition to his native Andhra Pradesh village.
While the production houses review audience feedback to censor the poorly received romantic subplots, trade analysts confirm that the edited version will be dispatched to theatres worldwide to sustain the film's historic commercial momentum.