A major controversy has erupted around the new Telugu film Peddi just as it hits theaters. A film journalist from Hindustan Times published a strongly worded opinion piece on June 4, 2026, calling out director Buchi Babu Sana for showing the hero Ram Charan kissing the heroine Janhvi Kapoor without her consent and framing it as romance. The piece has sparked intense debate on social media about how Tollywood films depict women and consent.
The journalist, Neeshita Nyayapati, attended the premiere show. She walked out feeling she had watched two different movies. One part of the film understood dignity and questioned the loss of identity for the male lead. But that same understanding did not apply to the female character.
What Exactly Happens in the Movie Scene
The film is set in a village. Ram Charan plays Peddi, a laborer and athlete from a community that has no identity. Janhvi Kapoor plays Achiyamma, the privileged daughter of a village elder. The first time Peddi sees her, the camera zooms in on her body parts. The hero declares “mutteyali,” which means “must touch her.” He says her father will never agree to their marriage, and she will never fall for someone like him.
The most criticized scene happens during a power cut. Peddi kisses Achiyamma without her permission. She sits and sobs afterward. A male aide then tells her to forget about it to protect her father’s career. The movie plays a song by AR Rahman called Chikiri Chikiri during this scene, presenting the act as romantic. The hero sings “Padta, venake padta” (I’ll keep following you).
Later in the film, the villain Rambujji, played by Divyendu Sharma, tries to have his friends publicly disrobe Achiyamma. Peddi saves her. When she goes to thank him, she touches his body and realizes he is the same man who kissed her. She slaps him. He then explains, “Some people express love with songs or letters. I only know how to do it through touch.” She agrees to marry him.
The Journalist’s Strong Criticism
The journalist made it clear that Tollywood has not changed in years. She pointed out that it has been almost a decade since critics said the film Baahubali had shown a scene of non-consensual intimacy with the character Avantika. She argued that nothing has changed since then.
“If this is all we’re going to get in commercial cinema, maybe it’s time filmmakers, actors, and even the audience stop pretending that Telugu films have given the female lead something to chew on.” – Neeshita Nyayapati, Film Journalist
She also pointed out the irony in the film. The villain’s act of trying to disrobe the heroine is shown as a grave injustice. But the hero kissing her without consent is shown as perfectly fine. The only difference is that the hero does it.
Ram Charan’s Response to Objectification Allegations
Before the film released, Ram Charan had already faced questions about the film’s songs. Two songs, Chikiri Chikiri and Hallallallo, had drawn criticism for what some called vulgar lyrics and visuals designed for the male gaze.
In an interview with Navika Kumar for Zoom, Ram Charan defended the songs. He compared working on them to working on the Oscar-winning song Naatu Naatu from RRR.
“Frankly, if I enjoyed shaking a leg to ‘Naatu Naatu’ with my colleague Jr NTR, I felt the same happiness working with both Shruti Haasan and Janhvi. I didn’t see any difference between the two songs. I don’t know how it led to allegations of objectification, but that was never our intention,” Ram Charan said.
He stressed that intent matters. He said if that had been their intention, he would be concerned about the audience seeing it that way. But he insisted it was never their intention.
The makers of Peddi have also faced questions about hiring choreographer Jani Master. He admitted to sexual assault of a junior colleague in 2024 and was arrested under the POCSO act. He later got bail.
Mixed Reactions on Social Media
Peddi released in theaters on June 4, 2026. Social media platform X (formerly Twitter) turned into a battlefield of opinions. Half the audience called it Ram Charan’s greatest performance. The other half called it a disaster.
Some fans praised the film. One user wrote, “Done with first half. What a fantastic fabulous movie. Not even single scene not worthy. Fire every scene it’s a masterpiece.” Another called it “pure cinematic fire.”
But others pointed to problems. One user wrote, “Pretty average 1st half with a decent interval. Only Charan is holding it together so far. BGM is so so.” Another simply wrote “Disaster.”
Critics also had mixed views. Deccan Chronicle gave the film 2 out of 5 stars. The review said Janhvi Kapoor’s character feels forced into the story and is reduced largely to a glamorous presence. The review called her performance forgettable. The critic said the love story lacks emotional depth.
The Film’s Budget and Box Office Pressure
Peddi has a reported budget of Rs 350 crore. This is Ram Charan’s third release since the blockbuster RRR. But none of his post-RRR films have come close to recreating that success. He has had two consecutive flops before this film. The box office performance of Peddi will decide his standing in the industry.
The film also stars Shiva Rajkumar, Jagapathi Babu, Boman Irani, and Ravi Kishan. The music is by AR Rahman. The cinematography is by R. Rathnavelu. The film is produced by Venkata Satish Kilaru under the Vriddhi Cinemas banner. Mythri Movie Makers is presenting the project.
The Larger Debate About Consent in Indian Cinema
The controversy around Peddi is not happening in isolation. Earlier in 2026, the teaser for Yash‘s film Toxic also faced backlash for showing an intimate scene that many called objectification. Director Geetu Mohandas responded by posting a cryptic note online about “female pleasure and consent.”
The Peddi controversy has reopened this conversation for Telugu cinema. The journalist who wrote the piece ended with a direct message to the industry. She said filmmakers, actors, and audiences need to stop pretending that Telugu films have given female leads meaningful roles. She signed off as “a film journalist and a tired woman.”
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