Sona Mohapatra says backlash for sexualised depiction in Peddi forcing filmmaker to apologise has given her hope

DIrector Buchi baboo Sana's sports litigate dramatic event Peddi has amount below intense scrutiny over the portrayal of Janhvi Kapoor's character, Achiyyamma. Many questioned the hypersexualisation of its female lead and zooming in on her body parts, even as the male lead describes her face’s beauty. Singer Sona Mohapatra has now reacted to the controversy and said how the template of mainstream commercial cinema does not give any agency to female characters and objectifies them.What Sona saidTaking to her Instagram account, Sona made a video speaking about the issue. She began, “For the last few days, one thing has given me a lot of relief, surprisingly. One of our heavily promoted mainstream film has been called out for its portrayal of the heroine. The backlash has given me some hope and optimism. Seems like it has an impact on the filmmakers and they will now remove some of the sections from the film. I have not watched the latest Peddi or its mothership Pushpa, never plan to, but truth be told, we know the formula and template of these films.” She went on to add, “Hero is always larger than life, and the heroine is merely an extension of the story and a decoration to be sexualised and objectified. Toxic masculinity is deemed as romance, disrespect becomes swagger. Slow motion shots, strategic camera angles and the ‘look me’ outfits of the heroine, loud background music… we know the deal. In most cases, misogyny wins at the box office. But this time it is different because apparently Indian audience have shown their anger and they are holding the filmmakers responsible.”‘We are connecting the dots’The singer further said, “Are we really tired of these shortcut pathetic ideas of filmmaking? I hope so. Or maybe we are connecting the dots around the sad news of the crimes against women… be it stalking or eve-teasing… I guess people are seeing how such films influence attitudes and behaviours in society. Mostly in our films such is the case that if there is lack of story because who wants to pay the writers then no worries just add some patriarchy and delete the agency of women from the screenplay and it will become massy!” The singer added that she is on her way to perform at the Kashish Queer film festival in Mumbai and is really proud to champion their cause for years.On Saturday, director Buchi Babu Sana released a statement addressing the controversy surrounding Peddi. "As a filmmaker, I believe cinema should entertain, inspire, and connect with audiences. It should never make anyone feel uncomfortable or disrespected," he wrote.He acknowledged the criticism directed at certain portions of the film and apologised to viewers who felt uncomfortable. “If any part of the film has been perceived that way, we respect those sentiments, understand the concerns being raised, and sincerely apologise,” he added. The filmmaker also noted that cinema evolves alongside audiences and that storytellers must remain mindful of changing perspectives and sensitivities.Peddi has shown a strong hold at the box office despite this controversy. The film has collected over ₹200 crore worldwide.