Amid Pedi controversy, Kangana Ranaut says films’ attitude has been harsh towards women for a long time
Amid the Pedi controversy, Kangana Ranaut said cinema has often portrayed women harshly and acknowledged concerns about their representation. However, he cautioned against judging each depiction in isolation or encouraging online outrage.
amidst ongoing pedi Controversy over portrayal of women, actor-politician Kangana Ranaut has weighed in on the hypersexualization debate. Acknowledging that the portrayal of women in the film industry has often been problematic, she said the way women are viewed in films has long been harsh and unfair.
had an exclusive conversation with India TodayKangana was asked why mainstream cinema continues to rely on hyper-sexualized female characters at a time when actors are increasingly demanding stronger and more layered roles.
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In response to the question, Kangana argued that objectification is not limited to cinema only. He said, “Even if you go in a local train, women are objectified. So, to say that they are objectified in films is very wrong. If you go in a local train, there is pushing, shoving, punching, even in a local bus. It happens on the road too. So, anyway, it has nothing to do with films.”
Also, Kangana admitted that cinema has often been unfair in its portrayal of women. “But yes, films have had a very harsh attitude towards women. Be it item songs.” People called me sexy-sexy, whether sarkaelo cotAll those things.”
He further added, “But sometimes the line between seduction, obscenity and complete injustice towards women gets blurred intentionally or sometimes unintentionally. So, I think that’s the nature of entertainment.”
Kangana also said that criticism and correction are sometimes necessary, but the current culture of online outrage can often be excessive.
He said, “Such reforms are needed and sometimes it is too much trolling and bias. Because sexuality is also a part of art. And sexuality is also a depiction of a story. And the film industry is not the subject of your education, you are coming here for entertainment.”
The actor emphasized that each portrayal should not be evaluated without understanding the larger narrative context.
She added, “I’m saying broadly, I think sometimes even today we’re in a place where trolling of anything or everything is so merciless. We don’t ask what is it really about, what is the topic? Maybe that topic is grey, maybe that whole setup has some relevance to the narrative. Without any of that, there’s just trolling, trolling, trolling. So, that’s not good either.”
This comment of Kangana has come amid the ongoing controversy around pediStarring Ram Charan and Janhvi Kapoor. The portrayal of Jhanvi’s character Achiamma in the film has drawn criticism from a section of the audience.
A major point of controversy is his introduction scene, in which the camera focuses on his body for a long time before exposing his face. Critics have argued that the sequence turns the character into a visual object rather than establishing his personality or role in the story.
The film has also faced scrutiny over the romantic track between the lead characters. Many viewers have expressed concern that some scenes undermine the idea of consent and individual agency. While some viewers saw the interaction as part of a traditional romance arc, others felt that they risked normalizing behavior that ignored a woman’s boundaries.
pedi Was released in theaters on 4 June 2026.