The outrage among netizens over the hypersexualisation of the heroine in Ram Charan-starrer Peddi compelled director Buchi Babu Sana to take corrective measures. But has the entertainment industry truly learnt its lesson?
Creative Liberty vs Social Responsibility
Creative liberty vs social responsibility is not a new debate in Indian cinema. Makers cross the line of decency, especially while portraying women every now and then. Leaning in favour of commercial viability strangely at the cost of women, cinema for men by men has been problematic for far too long. Item songs, toxic themes, stalker as lover have always been par for the course. Lewd items numbers are often forced into the narrative with equally obscene matkas and jhatkas, often without any provocation. The only raison d'etre: to titillate certain section of viewers.
Objectification of Women
Objectification of women, the male gaze, has been far too brazen and risqué for women's (rather, any sensitive person's) comfort. Yet, nothing matters more than commercial success. So, when the south sensation Ram Charan's sports drama Peddi stirred a hornet's nest, one dismissed the natter around it as just another social media pastime.
A chorus rose against Janhvi Kapoor's representation in Peddi. As a rule, sports films come under flak for not getting the technicalities of the sport right. Only Peddi grabbed eyeballs and sparked outrage among netizens for the manner in which the camera panned over Janhvi's anatomy. One netizen even wrote, 'The romantic dynamic between Janhvi Kapoor and Ram Charan in #Peddi is one of the most disgusting and dated portrayals I have seen. Shameless shots of her naval and chest... No care for consent. Moral stance of a saviour while constantly ogling at her.'
Public Indignation and Box Office Success
Movies come and go, yet what remains constant is women's representation, invariably leaving a lot to be desired. A Ma Behen and A Shape of Momo, both released around the same time, are exceptions rather than the norm. Yet, strangely enough, the POV on Janhvi's character was near unanimous. So much so that the heroine herself ended up liking a post which criticised her portrayal, dubbing it the 'most expensive disrespect to a woman.' More news stories followed public indignation. One even suggested that hero Ram Charan, who got rave reviews for his performance, had actually stood up for Janhvi when she felt uncomfortable during the shooting of the scenes. While outrage grew on one hand, so did the business of the movie, clocking nearly Rs 400 crores at the box office.
Director's Apology and Action
Given that audiences had given Peddi their stamp of approval, one didn't expect any reaction, let alone an apology, from the makers. For one has been used to makers like Sandeep Reddy Vanga, who has remained unabashedly unapologetic in the face of acerbic criticism of his highly toxic films. If misogyny has been writ over his films like Kabir Singh and Animal, his defence of his classic signatures has been equally virulent. Yet, the Peddi director Buchi Babu Sana wrote, 'We have heard the feedback regarding certain scenes in Peddi and have taken it seriously. If any part of the film has been perceived that way, we respect those sentiments, understand the concerns being raised, and sincerely apologise.'
Furthermore, he also promised to make necessary changes in the film. In the light of defence of the film by his lyricist Anantha Sriram, one didn't make much of his new posturing. But guess what! If the Rs 370 kilo biryani comment on a stand-up comic show forced all those associated with it to apologise, Sana walked the talk and the edited version of the film sans those objectionable scenes is apparently running in theatres.
Social Media as the New Censor?
Clearly, what critics, despite their scathing reviews of Peddi, could not achieve, social media has. Is social media the new censor, the robust new voice demanding and ushering change? Let's see what stance the easily outraged vigilantes take when Vanga's Animal Park, which he has threatened will be meaner and more vicious (read more misogynist too), releases. For now, of course, we can take solace in the fact that the industry, which rarely sees beyond the curves of a woman, has seen reason. Momentarily, maybe, but a welcome shift. Acceptance is the first step in attitudinal transformation.
But before you say three cheers to the power of social media, remember men like lyricist Anantha, who perceives this entire debate around Peddi as unwarranted online intrusion in creative choices, are still around. Perhaps next time, and there will be a next time, a heroine is hypersexualised, don't expect makers to buckle down so easily. But as James Baldwin said, 'Nothing can be changed until it is faced.'
