Tollywood Treads Carefully on Village Belle Roles

The 'village belle' has long been one of Tollywood's most enduring screen archetypes, with leading actresses winning audiences over in half-sarees, cotton saris and other traditional attire. But the recent controversy surrounding Janhvi Kapoor's look in Peddi has reignited a debate on where filmmakers should draw the line between glamour and authenticity. After social media accused the makers of sexualising a rural character, prompting reported changes to a few scenes, directors are becoming increasingly cautious while designing village-based heroines.

"It has become difficult to portray village belle characters the way we once did. Every frame is dissected on social media and even genuine creative choices are often misunderstood," says a filmmaker. "The backlash has made directors far more careful while presenting rural women on screen."

However, filmmakers insist the controversy will not spell the end of the village belle. They argue that if a story is rooted in rural India, the heroine's appearance must remain true to its setting rather than being dictated by online outrage.

Producer Abhishek Agarwal, who introduced Bollywood actress Nupur Sanon in a traditional avatar in Tiger Nageswara Rao, says authenticity has always taken precedence over glamour. "It all depends on the story and the character. Nupur had absolutely no hesitation in transforming from a glamorous actress into a simple village girl because the film was set in a rural backdrop and her appearance had to reflect that reality," he says.

According to Agarwal, actors readily embrace transformations demanded by the script. "If the story unfolds in a village, the heroine obviously cannot be dressed in Western outfits. Whether they come from Bollywood or elsewhere, actresses are always willing to adopt new looks that suit the character and showcase their versatility," he adds.

In recent years, several actresses have earned praise for their convincing portrayals of rural women. Samantha's performance in Rangasthalam set a benchmark, while Rashmika Mandanna's Srivalli in Pushpa became one of Indian cinema's most celebrated village belle characters. Nupur Sanon in Tiger Nageswara Rao, Neha Shetty in Bedurulanka 2012 and Payal Rajput in Mangalavaram also embraced traditional rural avatars.

Director Jeevitha Rajasekhar believes the trend gathered momentum with Sukumar's Rangasthalam before being reinforced by Pushpa. "Rangasthalam started a new wave and Pushpa took it to another level. Sukumar has consistently told stories rooted in rural life, and those characters feel authentic and emotionally relatable. That is why audiences connect with them," she says.

She also believes such portrayals have revived interest in traditional Telugu attire among younger audiences. "It is heartening to see leading actresses proudly sporting half-sarees, cotton saris and other native outfits. These characters celebrate our culture and inspire other actresses to explore similar roles," she says.

Jeevitha points out that Telugu cinema is gradually embracing realism, much like Tamil and Malayalam cinema, where village-centric narratives have long flourished. "As filmmakers increasingly tell stories from villages and small towns, rural characters will continue to be an integral part of Telugu cinema. The focus should be on portraying them with authenticity and dignity rather than allowing isolated controversies to discourage filmmakers," she concludes.