This week, the media industry woke up shell-shocked at the decision to surrender key FM radio licences across major cities. The shutdown of stations operating under brands such as Radio Nasha, Radio One, and Fever FM (Chennai) has triggered alarm across broadcasters because it’s not another media restructuring exercise in a rapidly digitizing entertainment economy. It’s the clearest sign yet that the private FM broadcasting, once among the country’s most influential and fastest-growing mass media sectors, has entered a full-scale structural crisis.

But as painful as it is, people in the business aren’t surprised. After all, the industry, they say, has spent years warning the government that rising regulatory costs, outdated policy structures, and the rapid migration of listeners and advertisers to digital platforms were making large parts of the FM business economically unsustainable. Now, those warnings are beginning to materialize in the form of station closures, layoffs, shrinking investments, and companies exiting markets altogether.

Unlike global audio platforms, private FM broadcasters continue to operate under licensing structures designed during the early expansion era of Indian radio, including revenue-sharing obligations, auction-linked fee calculations, and restrictions on broadcasting news and current affairs. At the same time, advertisers have increasingly shifted spending toward digital media, as younger audiences now consume music primarily through streaming apps.

Nisha Narayanan, director and COO, Red FM, explained, “India has the world’s largest radio audience, with 40 crore listeners tuning in across private FM, AIR and community radio. The industry is to reclaim its identity as a live, local, indispensable community voice and not a music channel competing with global audio OTTs. Unified advocacy must secure rationalized licensing, lifted restrictions on independent news and mandatory FM chip activation on smartphones. If Make in India and Vocal for Local initiatives are to be implemented, they must be extended to the homegrown medium that has carried local voices for nearly a century. Radio doesn’t need to be rescued but set free.”

The deterioration of a medium that once was a common person’s trusted companion cannot be attributed to only the lack of reforms and new players in the market. Some of the blame has to be borne by those calling the shots. Yatish Mehrishi, CEO of Radio Mirchi, believes it’s only right that the industry looks inwards about where it has gone wrong.

“Somewhere along the way, we became lazy and stopped innovating. We got too comfortable with repetitive music programming, predictable ad breaks, and standard RJ formats. If radio wants to remain relevant long term, we have to rethink the ad-to-talk ratio, programming formats and rediscover what makes the medium unique. Audio is an intimate medium. It works in the mind differently from video. In many ways, trying to force audio into video-first behaviour is actually hurting the medium. The future of radio cannot only be about survival or regulation. It also has to be about being true to the core strengths of audio again.”

RJ Stutee Ghosh stated, “Even when we would do a live show and knew lakhs of people were tuning in, for that one listener, it felt like the RJ was speaking to them. It’s a hugely intimate medium. It is appointment listenership and a very convenient background mode of entertainment. You can have the radio on while you’re doing your thing.”

That’s where the role of a radio jockey becomes crucial. Consequently, the hiring for the post, which seems to be another aspect that the industry is failing at, Ghosh shared.

“Sadly, we are no longer hiring people for qualities that make them a good RJ. We are not looking at their voice quality, how smart they are about the pronunciation and the diction. We are just looking at them as people who are comfortable in front of the camera, and things like ‘Can they talk? Can they make funny reels?’ It is sad. I’m talking about my fraternity. But you have sexist jokes, pranks, and double-meaning jokes happening. We are catering to the lowest common denominator. It was next to death if you mispronounced a word on air, because lots of people were listening to you live. And now you’re not even being hired for that skill set. What’s being given importance to is how many followers you have. How will that make sense?”

Abraham Thomas, CEO of Radio City, told mid-day, “For years, the industry has been asking the government for structural relief — rationalization of licence fees, GST reduction, permission for news and current affairs on private FM, and wider FM access on mobile phones. Those changes still haven’t come, and now the stress is beginning to show across the industry. What you are seeing with Radio Nasha, Fever [Chennai], and Radio One is part of a larger trend. Other networks have already scaled down or shut stations, and several players are reassessing viability market by market. Ad revenues are under stress, so every broadcaster is restructuring operations and trying to build efficiencies. We have all cleaned up our cost structures as much as possible, but the industry has now reached a stage where some structural intervention is necessary.”

Thomas believes a change in the cost structure can provide some relief. “Broadcasters pay a four per cent revenue share, but there is also a minimum floor linked to historical auction pricing of frequencies. We have repeatedly requested that this be simplified to a straight revenue-share model. That alone would provide substantial relief.”

It’s not the medium but the rigid business model that’s hurting the industry, Thomas said. “Radio continues to remain a powerful public communication medium. Disaster communication, emergency messaging and even programmes like the Prime Minister’s Mann Ki Baat depend heavily on radio reach. The industry believes that if some of these long-pending reforms come through, FM radio can remain viable and relevant in India’s media ecosystem.”

Radio jockey Stutee Ghosh, with an experience of almost two decades, stated that over time, FM stations have lost their uniqueness. Top that with “terrible advertisements” and redundant programmes and the result is lost listenership.

“Probably, the music will be a differentiator between one or two radio stations. Otherwise, all private radio stations sound alike. We have the same clocks, meaning all stations play ads at the same time. So, for a radio listener, it’s a terrible listening experience. I admit to terrible ads being made and played on it. We don’t play enough songs. We play half a song, which is a cardinal sin. When everybody has their own playlist on music streaming platforms, what is it that will pull you to the radio?” she said.

1. An end to dated formats like prank calls and sexist jokes

2. FM stations to play full songs, not just hook portions

3. Hiring to be done based on skill set, not followers

4. Hyperlocal programming

- Rationalise licence fees by applying a pure 4% Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) model and extending existing FM licences without fresh auctions

- Reduce GST on FM radio from 18% to 5% to bring parity with other media sectors

- Allow private FM stations to broadcast news and current affairs under a regulated framework

- Make activation of FM radio receiver chips mandatory on smartphones to ensure access to radio listeners

Daisy Shah is gearing up for a new challenge on screen as she steps into the shoes of an IPS officer in the upcoming film DGP Kashmir. The teaser of the film was recently launched in the presence of the cast.

While Daisy has portrayed a cop in the past, she says this role comes with a different set of responsibilities.

She says, “I had played a cop before, but here I get to play the role of an IPS officer. What makes it even more special is that the film is inspired by several true incidents that happened in Kashmir. As a child, I dreamt of becoming an IPS officer.”

Directed by Imtiyaz Bhat, DGP Kashmir is based on the struggles and sacrifices made by security forces and police officers in the Valley. Drawing from his own experiences of growing up in Kashmir, Bhat aims to shine a light on the bravery of officers who risked their lives to protect civilians during difficult times.

For Daisy, the film is also an opportunity to pay tribute to those often-overlooked heroes. “The film is about those unsung heroes of Kashmir. Their stories deserve to be told. Audiences will also get to see a different side of me through this film, especially when it comes to action,” she says.

The actress who will begin shooting her portions in July, is already preparing for the physically demanding role.

“I haven’t started shooting for my part yet, but I have about a month to prep for it. Since I am a national level shooter, that experience will definitely help me play the role better and bring authenticity to the character,” she adds.

When Sameera Reddy arrived in Goa for what was meant to be a 10-day holiday in June 2020, she was looking for a break from Mumbai's relentless pace. She never left. Seven years later, the actress has built a life in Bastora, North Goa, that is intertwined with the rhythms of nature — one where compost replaces garbage, homegrown produce fills the kitchen, and her children learn life lessons from the outdoors rather than screens. For Sameera, making Goa home was never just about moving into a new house. It was about embracing a different way of living.

Step into her property and you'll find more than just greenery. Mango, chikoo, coconut, bimbli, areca nut, breadfruit and banana trees dot the landscape — many planted by Sameera herself. "We also have our own vegetable garden where we grow spinach, salad leaves and other seasonal produce. A lot of what we eat comes directly from our garden," she says.

Nothing goes to waste. She shares, "The banana flower goes into our bhaji, the stem is used for healthy juices and, of course, the fruit becomes everything from snacks to banana bread. It's all pesticide-free. When the harvest is abundant, our neighbours and friends go home with bunches of bananas." If the family wants a cup of lemongrass tea, they simply walk into the backyard.

"I'm blessed that my children are growing up close to nature. They're eating boiled jackfruit seeds as snacks — that wouldn't happen in a city. If they spot a snake, they know not to panic. They simply move away and respect its space,” she shares.

One of the biggest changes Goa brought into Sameera's life was composting. "I knew absolutely nothing about it before moving here," she admits. "Today, all our wet waste is turned into compost and goes back into the soil. No wet waste leaves our home. For me, that's been a huge transformation."

The journey wasn't seamless. There were failed attempts, plenty of reading and hours spent watching tutorials. "We failed a few times when we started. I did a lot of research, watched YouTube videos and kept learning. Eventually, we figured it out," the actress says.

Sustainability, Sameera says, isn't about grand gestures. It's about everyday choices. She adds, "We should try to save water and make use of what we already have around us. We have to be conscious about not wasting resources. My car always has two or three cloth bags. I make sure I don't bring plastic home."

Of all the lessons Goa has taught her, perhaps the most meaningful is the spirit of community. "The best part about Goa is the way people share. I never experienced this kind of culture in Mumbai. Here, people exchange fruits, vegetables, plants and produce simply because they have enough to share. It's taught me the joy of giving and the beauty of living together," she says.

Few actors wear their heart on their sleeve quite like Varun Dhawan. As he gears up for the release of Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, directed by his father David Dhawan, the actor joined us at the Bombay Times Lounge, driven by Jeep, and was at his most unfiltered — cracking jokes, sharing memories and reflecting on the highs and lows of life in the spotlight. From comedy and criticism, to family, fatherhood and fame — the conversation moved effortlessly between laughter and emotion, offering a glimpse into the man behind the star. Here’s a sneak peek at what’s in store. The promo is out now; catch the full conversation soon on the Bombay Times YouTube channel.

I love comedy and I appreciate anyone who can make me laugh. Let comedy flourish and let people laugh. I feel we all need comedy. Yes, serious cinema should be made, in fact, after Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, I’ll be doing a film which is very different. But it is important to have laughter in our lives

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When Main Tera Hero (2014) first released, there were so many things said, like: He’s a very loud actor, he’s this, he’s that. I was being labelled left, right and centre. When it was re-released last month, I was shocked to see the way people are loving it and responding to it. I am out there to promote Hai Jawaani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, but Main Tera Hero is being spoken about so much (laughs)

— On Main Tera Hero’s second innings and finding a new generation of fans

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People say Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai is a two-heroine film, but if I am a hero in the film, it’s because of Mrunal Thakur and Pooja Hegde. I can’t even call myself a hero here, I am a red flag in the film. I feel if my character shines, it will be because of their support. When you do a David Dhawan film, it’s like a family. My father’s health was up and down through it all and there was a time when he was in the ICU. Everyone from the cast, from the girls to Maniesh Paul and Jimmy Shergill, gave so much love to him and made this film happen together

— On the cast of Hai Jawani… & the family spirit behind a David Dhawan film

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It has become very difficult to keep the illusion, keep the mystery alive. Today, look at how many cameras we have around us. You’re being covered from every angle, everything of your nature is being broken down to a content piece. And even your psychology is being discussed, your body language and your speech is being discussed. I think over-coverage has broken the illusion (of stardom)

— On how stardom has become fragile with excessive exposure

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What I have realized is — whether you love me, whether you don’t like me as much, the point is, I matter. I get discussed. People either cheer for me or criticize me, but I get a reaction from them. The scariest thing for me would be to do something which people don’t react to. Nowadays, we often don’t even know that a film is releasing. So, whether it is through love, through discussions or trolling, at least I’m being discussed and my films are being discussed. I feel that is important

— On why indifference is far scarier than criticism

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Talking about the trolling that he faced prior to the release of Border 2 and how the narrative changed post release, Varun said, “I learnt a lot about God’s screenplay. When you do a film like Border 2, there’s so much responsibility on you. When you work so hard on a film that is so genuine – about the army and your country – you feel, abhi yeh sab accha hi hoga. Why will anything negative happen? So, when that negativity emerged around me, I was like…yeh kaise ho gaya? Yeh, toh mere entertainer films mein hota hai. Why is this happening with this film? I feel that sometimes God takes you down just to lift you up again. That’s exactly what happened to me. I let my work speak for itself. In fact, post the success of Border 2, I didn’t give any interviews around it, I am talking about this with you now.”

I slowed down after Lara, my daughter was born. I realized that this is so special, I am enjoying this so much and I don’t want to miss out on this. Of course, my love for cinema remains unchanged. I’m totally in the service of cinema, and I want to create better films, better characters and I know that I have a lot more to offer

— On how fatherhood made him change his pace

For 12 years, Hemant Modi kept performing without a pause. What he did on camera not only paid his bills, it also kept him out of jail. From Ahmedabad’s stages to Mumbai’s film sets, he had a dozen names. Spandan Kumar one day. Spandan Modi the next. Twinkle Dave, when he wanted to sound like a star. He chased auditions, sent portfolios to producers, took any role anyone would give him.

What none knew was that Hemant Modi was a murder convict who had in 2014 walked out of prison on a 30-day parole and never returned. Since then, the parole jumper is said to have acted in six Hindi films, one South Indian production, 10 Gujarati films, 27 TV commercials, 26 stage dramas, more than 3,000 stage shows, and 14 short films. He ran a YouTube channel, Amdavadi Uncle, on which he uploaded audition videos. He even put up performance clips on Instagram.

Police also got a taste of his acting chops, when they finally turned up to arrest Modi from a rented house in Ahmedabad’s Gheekanta area on May 20. The 54-year-old, cops say, nearly convinced them that they had got the wrong man.

“When we approached him, he behaved like a law-abiding citizen, politely objecting to his arrest in a manner that even had us confused for some time. He spoke calmly and confidently, there was no panic in him. We wondered whether we were arresting the wrong person,” said a senior police officer.

Modi ended up in jail over a 2005 dispute involving neighbours that was related to a staircase and common passage in Naroda’s Parshwanath Township. When an argument took a violent turn, Narendra alias Nanno Kamble, was attacked with swords, iron pipes and baseball bats. Modi and six others were found guilty for the killing in 2008 and sentenced to life imprisonment. Two years later, Modi’s marriage ended.

He was lodged in Sabarmati Central Jail. But after he reportedly witnessed the murder of gangster Chetan Patel alias Chetan Battery during a gang war inside prison in 2005, authorities moved him to Mehsana jail to ensure his safety. In July 2014, Gujarat HC granted him 30 days’ parole, after which he disappeared — but not in the way one would have expected.

“If a murder convict jumps parole, one naturally assumes he will go underground and avoid being seen in public. But this man chose the film industry,” said a senior officer. “He was openly giving auditions, acting in films, attending events and uploading his videos online.” Police now admit that years of inaction played a role in Modi remaining free. Sources said that his name did not appear on the list of 1,115 parole absconders uploaded by Gujarat Police on the National Prison Portal.

Sources claimed that it was a tip-off from a close relative regarding Modi’s stay in Ahmedabad that eventually led crime branch teams to a house near Gheekanta metro station. Officers spent nearly a month confirming his identity before moving in for the arrest.

According to crime branch officials, Modi had been involved in theatre since college days, between 1998 and 2001. He took the stage name ‘Spandan Modi’ during this phase. Theatre, however, failed to provide financial stability and he took up law. While in jail, he cleared the judicial magistrate first class exam in 2008. Cops are now probing whether he appeared as an advocate in court while he was absconding.

After jumping parole, Modi first turned up in north Gujarat’s Patan. For the next two years, he made a living by acting in awareness skits, street plays, and govt campaigns on vaccination, hygiene and sanitation. “From vaccination to cleanliness drives, he performed in several awareness skits in north Gujarat,” said an officer. “At the same time, he was desperately trying to get proper acting assignments.”

His efforts eventually paid off. Between 2016 and 2017, Modi began appearing in Gujarati films and videos of popular Gujarati singers, mostly in devotional and religious roles. Since he already knew people in the drama circuit, securing small assignments was not difficult. “He had theatre experience, people saw him only as an actor,” said an investigator.

What’s remarkable was how he could change identities repeatedly. The aliases police have identified include Spandan Modi, Spandan Joshi, Spandan Vyas, Hemang Modi, Hemang Vyas, Hemang Vaishnav, Hemang Kumar and Spandan Kumar. Cops suspect he switched names to match the caste or community of whoever was hiring him, slipping into whatever identity felt apt. “Identity became like a costume change for him,” a cop said.

A theatre personality from Ahmedabad, who has known Modi since the late 1990s, recalled how Modi often circulated photographs of himself in different looks and get-ups. “It looked like an actor experimenting with roles. Now, it feels like it was a survival tactic,” he said.

In 2018, Modi shifted to Mumbai. His first major mainstream appearance, according to police and publicly available profiles, was in ‘Thugs Of Hindostan’, starring Aamir Khan and Amitabh Bachchan. It was not a major role but, for a struggling actor, it marked an entry into big Bollywood productions.

Since then, his resume steadily expanded. Modi later worked in projects including ‘Jayeshbhai Jordaar’, starring Ranveer Singh, ‘Metro...In Dino’ featuring Konkona Sen Sharma and Pankaj Tripathi, and the Malayalam big-budget production, ‘L2 Empuraan’, starring Mohanlal and Prithviraj Sukumaran. His latest appearance was in the Emraan Hashmi-starrer, ‘Taskaree: The Smuggler’s Web’, that came out earlier this year.

During the Covid lockdown years, Modi reportedly stayed at a paying guest facility in Mumbai’s Borivali. The other actors he shared the accommodation with remember him as a man who never stopped talking about making it. “He used to motivate others by narrating how he’d struggled and eventually got opportunities,” said an actor who knew him during that period. “Nobody imagined that he was an absconder.”

As he chased acting opportunities, police said that Modi survived by taking up clerical work and odd jobs. Sleuths say he sent his portfolio to about 200 directors, producers and production houses in Bollywood and South India. Whatever role he received, no matter how small, he accepted enthusiastically. “He was happy even with minor character roles as he wanted only to act,” said an officer. That passion for acting is something almost everyone who encountered Modi noticed.

The portrait of Modi one pieces together from the descriptions of those who knew him is the kind he seemed to have consciously worked to create — “polite”, “sincere”, “hardworking”.

Actor, singer and music director Nisarg Trivedi said he knew Modi from college days, when the latter was deeply involved in drama. “He came across as polite and warm back then,” Trivedi recalls. Years later, Modi approached Trivedi for work, saying he had been released from jail. “He told me his jail term was over and asked for work.

Since he was talented, I recommended him for some assignments.” Trivedi insists there was nothing suspicious about Modi’s conduct. “He moved around openly and confidently. Nobody felt he was hiding something.”

The same impression came from Bhavesh Bhanu, a casting director in Ahmedabad, who worked with Modi for a character role in a film. “Nothing about his approach seemed off to me,” Bhanu said. “He never behaved like someone trying to conceal his identity.”

Bhanu, however, said that Modi had asked for his payment to be routed through someone else’s bank account, claiming his own wasn’t working. That’s the only factor that could arouse suspicion, Bhanu says, looking back.

Director Kartavya Shah, who cast Modi in ‘53 Mu Panu’ and earlier worked with him in a stage drama titled, ‘Sasraji Nu Sursuriyu’, described him as “deeply affected by prison life”. “He had told me that he spent many years in jail and was released on parole, but I never knew he was a murder convict or a parole jumper,”

Shah said. “He used to share emotional stories from his time in jail and even wanted to make a film based on those experiences.”

According to Shah, nobody from the theatre or film fraternity knew the full extent of Modi’s criminal background. “To us, he was just another actor trying to rebuild his life after struggle,” he said. Another Ahmedabad theatre personality remembers Modi as someone desperately chasing work. “He used to send portfolios and audition videos very frequently and worked as if there was no tomorrow.”

To the cops, he was a fugitive who manipulated identities and escaped justice for more than a decade. To the theatre community, he was the man who lived for the next part. He had been both for so long, it is not clear he himself could have told them apart.

PEDDI has fair figures on all its versions over the first three days driven by the home belt of Nizam/Andhra but they are nowhere near enough for the cost of the film. The film is that rural rustic film but you cant compare with PUSHPA. So, a better comparison is DEVARA but that film had comfortably crossed 100 crore nett in the first two days on all versions.

The Hindi version of the film collected around 2.65 crore nett on the first day and the second day is 2 crore nett which gives it around 4.65 crore nett in two days and its going nowhere. There should be a jump today but that is not going to change the fate of the film. It remains to be seen if it can get a 10 crore nett extended weekend for its Hindi version.

The opening of the Hindi version pretty much sealed its overall fate also despite the good opening in Nizam/Andhra. The costs of these films have to go much lower as today these South producers have to factor in negligible revenue for the theatrical Hindi version. It could be something but there is a good chance it is going to almost zero as well and its this you have to factor when budgeting the film.

The collections of PEDDI across India on all versions are as follows.

Paid previews - 17,50,00,000 apprx

Thursday - 46,00,00,000 apprx

Friday - 25,00,00,000 apprx

HAI JAWANI TOH ISHQ HONA HAI collected 7.75 crore nett on its first day which is a fair collection for the genre as from the units and trailers, it plays out as a romcom when the film is probably a comedy. This is probably due to the look and feel of the film. The film has been supported by an offer on Friday though it does not look to be there for the second day.

The last solo Varun Dhawan film, SUNNY SANSKARI KI TULSI KUMARI, opened at 9 crore nett but it was a national holiday and a clash with KANTARA: A LEGEND – CHAPTER 1. Here there is another South film, PEDDI, but this film is no KANTARA. On fair value, this is a little better as belts like Gujarat, Rajsthan, Bihar etc are better as they notch up similar collections to SUNNY SANSKARI KI TULSI KUMARI despite releasing on a normal day.

The opening should have been a little more especially as the film had an offer. Without the offer, this number would look much better although its an unknown how much the offer is taken up. The concern is when these things are abruptly taken off as it is has been seen that once started it has to be continued. So, its actually best not to start.

The genre is struggling but it can never be that one genre cant work as it just probably needs some changes and a different presentation or treatment which makes it looks a bit different to the audience. 

There was another release, BANDAR, which collected poorly and the collections will struggle to reach 50 lakhs or maybe just about get to 50 lakhs nett on a best case scenario.

More than two decades after Kal Ho Naa Ho became one of Bollywood's most-loved films, filmmaker Nikkhil Advani is looking back at one of its most memorable comic tracks with a more critical and evolved perspective. Speaking at the ongoing Kashish Pride Film Festival, he admitted that the iconic ‘Kanta Ben’ sequence from the 2003 blockbuster - once celebrated for its humour - would likely not find a place in his filmmaking today.

"A lot has changed since I made Kal Ho Naa Ho. We are more educated and far more aware now. I don't think I can do a Kanta Ben today," he said. The filmmaker was referring to the recurring comic subplot in which the character Kanta Ben repeatedly misunderstands the relationship between Shah Rukh Khan and Saif Ali Khan's characters, creating a series of humorous situations that became hugely popular with audiences.

While he noted that the sequence was created in the spirit of harmless fun and has even been appreciated by members of the LGBTQ+ community over the years, he believes his own understanding has evolved significantly. "At the time it was great fun, and I've had many people from the community tell me they enjoyed it. But I also believe I've become more sensitive with time," he said.

Nikkhil pointed to his more recent work as an example of how the industry's approach to gender and sexuality is gradually changing. He cited Mumbai Diaries, which featured a storyline involving a young person undergoing gender transition.

"When we made Mumbai Diaries, there was a storyline involving a young person who was transitioning. We made a conscious effort to cast someone from the community, and we had an intimacy advisor working with us throughout the process," he explained.

According to the filmmaker, such measures are becoming increasingly important as the industry attempts to portray diverse identities with greater authenticity and respect.

Nikkhil acknowledged that much of this shift has been driven by evolving industry practices and global standards, particularly on international streaming platforms.

"These are important steps that the industry is beginning to accept. It was an OTT (Amazon) show, and because it was a multinational platform, there were global standards regarding gender identity and other sensitive issues," he said. However, he was quick to add that progress remains uneven and that Indian cinema still has considerable ground to cover when it comes to meaningful LGBTQ+ representation. "So yes, we are changing. But we still have a long way to go."

He added, “What the filmmakers at KASHISH are doing is remarkable. Full marks to them," he said. Highlighting the challenges faced by queer storytellers, he added, "It's not easy making these films, and it's even harder ensuring that they are seen."

Two days after Peddi released in theatres, director Buchi Babu Sana issued an apology over criticism surrounding Janhvi Kapoor’s portrayal in the Ram Charan-starrer and confirmed that certain scenes featuring the actor would be revised.

The backlash centred on Janhvi’s character, Achiyamma, whom many viewers felt had been reduced to a decorative love interest rather than a fully developed character. Several social media users also objected to the way she was filmed, arguing that lingering body shots and certain romantic scenes framed her largely through a male gaze. Critics further questioned scenes in which Peddi expresses a desire to touch Achiyamma without her consent and forcibly kisses her during a power cut despite her protests.

Responding to the criticism on X on Saturday, Sana wrote, “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.”

The filmmaker also announced changes to the film. “After reviewing the feedback, we have decided to make changes to the concerned portions. Every woman deserves to be respected, valued, and represented with dignity,” he said, while thanking audiences for sharing their views.

Peddi, a sports drama starring Ram Charan in the titular role, released on Friday.

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Cinema grows through its connection with audiences, and as storytellers, we have a responsibility to be mindful of evolving perspectives and sensitivities. Every woman deserves to be respected, valued, and represented with dignity. We remain committed to telling stories that celebrate strong characters and uphold those values.

- Buchi Babu Sana, director

Three decades into Bollywood, Saif Ali Khan believes longevity in the industry is a mix of hard work, timing and a fair bit of luck. The actor, recently seen in the cop drama Kartavya, admits his early years were far from smooth, despite perceptions that he was handed opportunities

“I survived because there was a massive patch where nobody wanted to do those movies that I was doing. It wasn’t that I was getting the best films in the world repeatedly despite not being good,” says Khan, adding, “There was a strong downward movement but then there was luck.”

Reflecting on his initial years in the industry, the actor says, “It was a simpler time, people were much more forgiving.”

Khan recalls that after landing a major opportunity with a Yash Chopra film that failed to perform, his career hit a slump before Yeh Dillagi (1994), co-starring Akshay Kumar and Kajol, helped put him back in the spotlight: “People liked me and it was a two-hero film... I got a little bit of reward for working quite hard and putting everything into it. Films like Main Khiladi Tu Anari (1994) slowly helped me make my way into things.”

“The industry was definitely a more forgiving place when I came. Today you need to be much more prepared. The whole concept of preparation has changed and the whole world of movies has changed. I’ve said this to them [Sara and Ibrahim] also that you have to prepare. But our field has become extremely extreme. It’s always been competitive, but people are less forgiving now certainly than they were.”