A controversy around Peddi has pushed director Buchi Babu Sana into damage-control mode, even as the film continues to perform strongly at the box office.

The filmmaker has confirmed that several scenes featuring Janhvi Kapoor have been removed after viewers and women’s rights groups criticised parts of her character’s portrayal in the Ram Charan starrer.

Speaking to Indian Express, the director said audiences had misunderstood Achiyyamma, Janhvi Kapoor’s character, and the role she played in the story.

"In my opinion, a lot of people misread Janhvi Kapoor’s track as unnecessary in an otherwise good story."

The criticism centred on scenes that many viewers felt objectified the actress, including her introduction sequence and a romantic scene involving Peddi. 

As the backlash grew online, the makers promised to remove portions that were seen as disrespectful towards women.

Defending his creative choice, Sana said he wanted to show a flawed man shaped by his surroundings before revealing his growth later in the film.

"In this film, I went a little radical, because Peddi comes from a remote place, somewhere far away from the hills. I wanted to show the rawness and later correct it in the end, saying that this guy is this way because of his upbringing and atmosphere."

But he admitted some scenes did not land as intended.

"In this process, a few shots turned misleading. We have taken corrective measures to remove them, and we have removed them."

Neither Janhvi Kapoor nor Ram Charan has publicly addressed the controversy.

Despite the debate, Peddi, which also features Shiva Rajkumar, Jagapathi Babu, Boman Irani and Upendra Limaye, has continued to draw audiences since its release on 4 June.