Does Koffee With Karan Season 9 bringing the Telugu film industry into the spotlight. From Rashmika Mandanna and Vijay Deverakonda’s episode to the latest discussion involving Janhvi Kapoor and director Buchi Babu Sana, the pattern is becoming difficult to ignore.
The question is simple: Is the current season of Koffee With Karan turning the Telugu film industry into a recurring subject of scrutiny?
When Rashmika Mandanna and Vijay Deverakonda appeared together, the conversation touched on the criticism Rashmika faces over her accent, the pressure on actresses to accept uncomfortable costumes, and the controversy surrounding Janhvi Kapoor’s portrayal in Peddi. Rashmika spoke about personal boundaries, while Vijay highlighted how difficult it can be for actors to say no to filmmakers. These were important subjects, but they also brought a Telugu film and its director into a national conversation.
The discussion did not end with the episode. Javed Akhtar subsequently defended Rashmika against accent-based trolling, but mistakenly referred to her as a Tamil actor. He later apologised and clarified his position. Even a defence of a South Indian actress became another occasion for conversations about regional identity and language.
Now, the subject has returned through Janhvi Kapoor‘s latest appearance on the show.
Janhvi has openly described aspects of her experience working on Peddi as uncomfortable and acknowledged that the film’s portrayal of her character amounted to extreme objectification. She also said she wished she had spoken up more strongly during filming. Her concerns deserve to be heard, but the discussion has once again placed a Telugu filmmaker, Buchi Babu Sana, and the working practices of South Indian cinema under the spotlight.
Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mamidanna faced intense trolling after the episode, and now director Buchi Babu Sana is under scrutiny over Peddi. The concern is not that Koffee With Karan is deliberately targeting Tollywood, but that the repeated focus on Telugu cinema and its personalities is beginning to look like a pattern.
