Peddi and The Paradise: Does Glamour Come at the Cost of Female Characterisation?
The portrayal of female characters in mainstream Telugu cinema has once again become a topic of discussion following the release of Peddi and The Paradise. A recent Gulte article draws attention to what it sees as a common issue in both films: the use of glamour and sexuality around female characters without giving them enough narrative importance.
That criticism raises a larger question worth examining: when does a creative portrayal become unnecessary objectification, and how important is a female character's purpose within the overall story?
Rather than simply accepting or rejecting that criticism, it is useful to look at what both films attempt to do, how their female characters fit into their respective narratives, and why the discussion has generated such strong reactions.
Peddi: A Sports Drama With a Large Ensemble
Directed by Buchi Babu Sana, Peddi is a sports-action drama featuring Ram Charan, Janhvi Kapoor, Shiva Rajkumar, Jagapathi Babu and Divyenndu among others. The film is set against a rural backdrop and revolves around a central character whose sporting ability becomes connected to the struggle of his community.
Janhvi Kapoor plays Achiyyamma, a character who forms part of the film's emotional and romantic framework.
The criticism surrounding her presentation is not necessarily about the presence of glamour itself. Glamour can be a legitimate part of commercial cinema. The more important question is whether the visual treatment contributes something meaningful to the character or story.
That distinction matters.
A character can be glamorous, sensual or traditionally commercial while still being well-written. Problems arise when the visual presentation becomes more memorable than the character's personality, motivations or contribution to the plot.
The Paradise Takes a Different Route
The Paradise, directed by Srikanth Odela and starring Nani, Kayadu Lohar, Mohan Babu and Sonali Kulkarni, takes a much darker approach. The film centres on Jadal and the struggle of a marginalised community seeking recognition and dignity. It was released theatrically in September 2026.
Kayadu Lohar plays Subbalakshmi, popularly known as Subbu.
Unlike Peddi, the controversy surrounding The Paradise is connected not simply to conventional glamour but to the nature of Subbu's character and the way the film depicts her involvement with suggestive video content.
That creates a more complicated discussion.
A filmmaker can deliberately create an uncomfortable character or situation. Cinema does not have to portray every character in a socially comfortable manner. But if such material is introduced, the writing needs to establish why the character behaves that way, what she wants, what she experiences and how the situation affects her.
That is where several reviews have raised concerns about the depth given to Subbu.
The Indian Express, for example, argued that the character's storyline is underdeveloped and questioned whether the film gives her enough agency or inner life.
The Difference Between Characterisation and Shock Value
This is perhaps the most important point emerging from the debate.
There is a major difference between:
- portraying a controversial profession or lifestyle,
- using sexuality as part of a character's identity,
- and using sexualised imagery primarily for audience attention.
The first two can have genuine narrative value.
For example, a filmmaker could use such a character to explore poverty, exploitation, family pressure, social attitudes or economic survival. In that situation, uncomfortable material could become an important part of the storytelling.
But if the film establishes the character's circumstances without sufficiently exploring them, audiences may reasonably question whether the material exists mainly for shock or visual appeal.
That criticism has been made about Subbu's character in The Paradise.
The Larger Problem: Female Characters Need More Than Screen Presence
The discussion around these films also points to a broader issue in commercial cinema.
A heroine does not necessarily need to drive the entire story. Supporting characters can have limited screen time. But even a secondary character can be memorable when the writing gives her a clear personality, motivation and emotional purpose.
This becomes especially noticeable in large-scale films.
The Paradise, for example, is built around a serious social conflict involving identity, recognition and discrimination. Independent reviews have praised aspects such as the production design, scale, action and Nani's physical transformation while also criticising the screenplay and the limited development of several supporting characters.
That suggests the issue is larger than one particular female character.
If multiple supporting characters are underwritten, the heroine can become one more symptom of a broader screenplay problem rather than the sole reason for the film's shortcomings.
What About Peddi?
The same principle can be applied to Peddi.
The film's central focus is its sports-driven conflict and the journey of its protagonist. Janhvi Kapoor's character operates within that larger narrative rather than being the central driver of the story. The cast and production scale were clearly designed to create a large commercial entertainer.
Therefore, judging the character only through the lens of glamour would not provide the complete picture.
The more useful question is whether Achiyyamma receives enough meaningful material to exist as an individual character rather than simply functioning as part of the hero's world.
That is a writing question, not simply a costume or presentation question.
Social Media Has Changed How These Scenes Are Discussed
There is another important factor that should not be ignored.
A scene that occupies only a few minutes in a three-hour film can become the dominant topic online within hours. Short clips, screenshots and reaction posts can remove scenes from their original context and give them a much larger afterlife.
That can significantly influence how audiences discuss a film.
Consequently, online criticism should be considered part of the reception of a movie, but it should not automatically be treated as proof of universal audience opinion.
The same applies to claims that a particular scene caused a film's overall trolling or commercial response. Those are interpretations unless supported by reliable audience or box-office evidence.
Is the Criticism Entirely Unfair?
Not necessarily.
The criticism becomes reasonable when it asks whether filmmakers are giving female characters the same narrative attention, motivations and dignity that they give male characters.
At the same time, it would be too simplistic to conclude that every glamorous or sexually suggestive scene is automatically inappropriate.
Cinema is allowed to portray adult themes.
The real test is context, characterisation and purpose.
If a provocative scene advances the story, reveals something important about a character or contributes to the film's themes, audiences may understand why it exists.
If removing the material makes little difference to the narrative, questions about its purpose become more understandable.
A More Important Question for Telugu Cinema
The conversation around Peddi and The Paradise ultimately goes beyond Janhvi Kapoor or Kayadu Lohar.
It concerns how commercial films write women in stories dominated by male protagonists.
Telugu cinema has increasingly expanded in scale, production values and nationwide ambition. With that expansion comes an opportunity to improve character writing as well.
Female characters do not necessarily need to become the protagonists of every film. They simply need to feel like people who belong to the world of the story, rather than characters created primarily to satisfy a commercial requirement.
That can include romance, glamour, sexuality, humour, conflict or vulnerability. None of those elements is automatically a problem.
The difference lies in whether the character has depth behind them.
Final Review
The Gulte article raises a genuine conversation about female representation in Peddi and The Paradise, although its language is strongly critical. The underlying question is more useful than the provocative framing: are filmmakers using glamour because the story demands it, or because commercial cinema has become accustomed to presenting heroines that way?
For Peddi, the discussion centres largely on whether Janhvi Kapoor's Achiyyamma receives enough character depth alongside her visual presentation.
For The Paradise, the debate is more complicated because Subbu's storyline is deliberately connected to adult content and survival, yet some critics argue that the screenplay does not explore her circumstances deeply enough.
Neither film needs to avoid mature or glamorous material simply to satisfy criticism. But ambitious commercial cinema can reasonably be expected to give its female characters motivations, agency and emotional dimensions that go beyond appearance.
The bigger lesson is simple: glamour can attract attention, but characterisation is what gives a character lasting value.
