Janhvi Kapoor has been signed for his next big film, a month after the ‘Peddi’ controversy, teaming up with Pagglait director Umesh Bist for the first time. Meanwhile, the actress is yet to respond to the ‘Peddi’ controversy, in which a section of netizens criticized the portrayal of her character, Achiyamma, accusing the makers of objectifying her.
Janhvi Kapoor’s new film will be supported by Balaji and Sikhya
According to Variety India, Janhvi’s next project remains untitled at this stage. The film will be produced by Ekta KapoorBalaji Motion Pictures alongside Guneet Monga’s Sikhya Entertainment, and is expected to begin shooting between October and November this year. Details about the story, genre and cast are yet to be revealed.
Umesh Bist is also directing ‘Pagglait 2’ along with Janhvi Kapoor’s film
Meanwhile, Umesh Bist will also juggle directorial duties in ‘Pagglait 2’, the sequel to the 2021 Netflix hit, with Sanya Malhotra expected to return as Sandhya, continuing the story from where the first film left off.
Janhvi Kapoor’s role as ‘Peddi’ sparks debate on objectification
Meanwhile, Janhvi’s role in ‘Peddi’ had opened up a larger conversation about how women are portrayed in commercial films. Many viewers found fault with the film’s camera angles, close-ups, and romantic scenes, saying they turned her character into just a visual object instead of giving her something meaningful to play with. Some blamed Janhvi, while others felt that actors should not be held responsible for a filmmaker’s creative choices.
Director apologizes, celebs react to Janhvi Kapoor’s ‘Peddi’ row
Following the backlash, director Buchi Babu Sana apologized and dropped the controversial scenes from the film. The dispute also drew reactions from several celebrities including Jaya Bachchan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Nithya Menen, Jagapathi Babu i Dimple Hayathimany of whom are calling for better written female characters and a wider change in how women are portrayed in mainstream cinema.