Sidharth Malhotra and Janhvi Kapoor are teaming up for Param Sundari, and fans can’t seem to keep calm!
Maddock Films recently released the first look of their upcoming film Param Sundari, featuring a soulful soundtrack sung by Sonu Nigam. The teaser has sent fans into a frenzy, especially over how adorable Sidharth and Janhvi look together on screen.
While many are excited about this cross-cultural romance and Sonu Nigam’s magical voice, some South Indian fans have expressed frustration over what they see as yet another stereotypical representation of South Indians in Bollywood.
Criticism arose after seeing Janhvi Kapoor’s character portrayed as a South Indian woman adorned with a head full of gajras and dressed in a sari—an image that many believe reinforces an overused cliché.
Fans pointed out that this isn’t the first time Bollywood has done this. Films like Meenakshi Sundareshwar and Chennai Express also portrayed South Indian women in similar ways, with Deepika Padukone and Sanya Malhotra’s characters fitting the same mould.
Viewers are questioning why Bollywood still hasn’t learned from past mistakes, continuing to create South Indian characters through a lens that reflects how North Indians might perceive them rather than how they truly are.
It’s not about being ashamed of their culture, fans say, it’s about the lack of variety in representation. South Indian culture is rich and diverse, and yet the same visual tropes are used again and again.
Others, however, are optimistic. They say the film looks like a blend of 2 States and Chennai Express, and are excited to see another cross-cultural love story unfold.
Considering the backlash over representation in just a short teaser, it’ll be interesting to see whether this affects the film’s reception.
If the story turns out to be heartfelt and well-told, fans might be willing to overlook the stereotypes. But until then, all eyes are on Param Sundari to see whether it wins hearts or sparks more debate.
