Sona Mohapatra on the Peddi controversy
Singer Sona Mohapatra has stepped into the ongoing debate over Janhvi Kapoor’s Telugu film Peddi, and she’s not holding back. Known for speaking her mind on social issues, Mohapatra shared a video on her social media addressing the backlash the film has received for its portrayal of the heroine. She told her followers that the public’s strong reaction has actually given her a strange sense of hope. “In the last few days, one thing has given me a strange relief. In our heavily promoted mainstream film, the backlash against the portrayal of the heroine has given me some hope and optimism,” she said.
Mohapatra admitted she hasn’t watched Peddi or its predecessor Pushpa, but she’s well aware of the storytelling template these films follow. “Now, I haven’t watched the latest Peddi or its mothership Pushpa, never planned to. But to be honest, we all know the formula and template of these films. The hero always lives a dignified life. And the heroine is just an extension of that story. Decoration to be sexualized, objectified. Toxic masculinity is called romance in such films,” she explained.
The singer pointed out how certain cinematic techniques are used to package problematic behavior as entertainment. “Disrespect becomes swagger. Some low motion shots, some strategic camera angles, the heroine’s look me, look me, look me type of clothes, loud background music. We know the deal. And in most cases, misogyny wins in the box office. But this time, something different has happened,” she remarked.
Audiences finally speaking up
What excites Mohapatra the most is that audiences are no longer staying quiet. “The interesting thing is that India’s people have apparently expressed their dissatisfaction,” she noted. The singer believes viewers are now holding filmmakers accountable for lazy storytelling that relies on patriarchal narratives instead of creating nuanced female characters with agency and depth.
She connected the dots between cinema and real-world issues. “Whether it’s stalking or teasing, the news that comes every day, children’s rape, domestic violence. And I guess people are connecting how such films influence attitudes and behaviors in society. Because mostly in our films, it’s the case that it’s not a story. The writers don’t have to pay. No problem. Put in patriarchy. Delete the heroine’s agency from the screenplay. It will be a massacre,” Mohapatra said passionately.
She sees the backlash as a sign that society might be evolving. “Are we really tired of these lazy, short cut, pathetic ideas of filmmaking? I hope so. Or maybe we are even connecting the dots around all the sad news of the crimes against the women,” she added.
A contrast with authentic cinema
Mohapatra drew a sharp contrast between mainstream commercial cinema and the Kashish Pride Film Festival, whose closing ceremony she was attending in Mumbai. “A film festival where I’ve been associated with for years. I’ve performed there. I’ve celebrated this festival, supported it,” she said. She praised the festival for continuing despite limited resources, unlike the “bullshit mainstream cinema in India” that enjoys big budgets and star power.
“And what strikes me is this. Kashish is still continuing. Year after year, despite not having these kinds of budgets, star power or machinery that this kind of bullshit mainstream cinema in India enjoys. And I’m so proud and thankful for that. Because courage and authenticity matter. Because stories about real human beings matter,” she said.
Concluding her video, Mohapatra expressed hope that audiences will gravitate toward honest narratives. “And I’d like to hope that audiences, whether they’re queer, straight, young, old, male, female, or anything in between, eventually will connect to the truth. Not propaganda. Not fantasy. Not insecurity dressed up as macho heroism. That Kashish survives gives me hope. As does this backlash on Peddi, forcing the filmmakers to apologize. Kudos, India.”