From overnight star to conscious actor, Anu Aggarwal chose dignity over demand at the peak of her career. Three decades after ‘Aashiqui’ made her a household name, the controversy around ‘Peddi’ brought that choice back into focus.
Image Source: Instagram
Former Bollywood actress Anu Aggarwal has reacted to the ongoing debate around the Telugu film Peddi, which has sparked widespread discussions on the portrayal of women in Indian cinema. Aggarwal shared her thoughts through a post on Instagram, drawing a direct line between the current controversy and choices she made in her own career more than three decades ago.
In her post, she wrote, “The recent conversations around Peddi reminded me of a choice I made long ago. I applaud today’s audience for speaking up and asking for more dignity in the portrayal of women. But responsibility does not rest only with the audience. Nor does it rest only with filmmakers.”
Advertisement
She added, “It rests with us actors too. More than 30 years ago, after Aashiqui, I made it a point to hear the story before signing a film. Objectification of women was the norm. I chose to act against that norm. The films I did stand testimony to that choice. In many ways, that is one of the reasons I eventually walked away from films.”
Advertisement
View this post on Instagram
Aggarwal used her post to send a message to the current generation working in the film industry. She wrote, “Today, I encourage young actors and actresses to hear the story first. Ask questions. And if something compromises human dignity, have the courage to say no.”
She added, “Stories will change when audiences demand better. But they will also change when we actors refuse to participate in what we no longer believe in.”
The post was shared with hashtags including CoverGirl, BelieveInYourself, SelfCare, SocialConsciousness, and AnuFunYoga.
Anu Aggarwal was born on January 11, 1966, in New Delhi. She is best known for playing the female lead in Aashiqui, the 1990 Hindi romantic drama directed by Mahesh Bhatt and produced by Gulshan Kumar under Super Cassettes Industries Limited. The film starred Rahul Roy opposite her. Its soundtrack, composed by Nadeem-Shravan, sold 20 million units and remains the best-selling Bollywood soundtrack album of all time.
After Aashiqui turned her into an overnight star, Aggarwal continued to work in films but was selective about her choices. In 1997, she joined the Bihar School of Yoga and stayed there as a Karmayogi. In 1999, while returning to Mumbai, she was involved in a serious car accident and remained in a coma for 29 days. The accident erased her memory of her earlier life. She became a monk in 2001.
In recent years, she has been active through the Anu Aggarwal Foundation, which focuses on mental health and women’s empowerment.
Peddi is a 2026 Telugu-language sports action drama written and directed by Buchi Babu Sana. It stars Ram Charan in the title role, with Janhvi Kapoor playing the female lead, Achiyyamma. The film also features Shiva Rajkumar, Jagapathi Babu, Divyenndu, and Boman Irani. Its music has been composed by A.R. Rahman. The film was released on June 4, 2026, set against the backdrop of 1980s rural Andhra Pradesh, with the story following a lower-caste villager who turns to wrestling to earn dignity for his community.
Soon after release, a section of viewers criticised the portrayal of Janhvi Kapoor’s character. Many alleged that certain scenes objectified her and that her role lacked meaningful narrative purpose. One scene in particular, where the lead male character forcefully kisses Achiyyamma during a power cut, was labelled as depicting sexual assault by several viewers online. Screenshots of alleged conversations between Janhvi Kapoor and a member of the film’s crew also circulated on social media, adding to the controversy.
As online criticism intensified, director Buchi Babu Sana issued a public apology on social media. He stated, “As a filmmaker, I believe cinema should entertain, inspire, and connect with audiences. It should never make anyone feel uncomfortable or disrespected. We have heard the feedback regarding certain scenes in Peddi and have taken it seriously. I have always had immense respect for women, both on and off screen, and it was never our intention to objectify or disrespect any female character. If any part of the film has been perceived that way, we respect those sentiments, understand the concerns being raised, and sincerely apologize.”
He confirmed that the disputed scenes would be edited. Nearly three minutes of footage involving Janhvi Kapoor’s character were subsequently removed. The revised version of the film began screening from the evening shows of June 6, 2026.
Janhvi Kapoor has not made any public statement about the controversy so far.
Advertisement
