Renowned filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga recently attended a grand promotional event in Hyderabad for upcoming film Thandel starring Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi in lead roles. During the event, Vanga revealed that Sai Pallavi was initially his first choice for the female lead in Arjun Reddy. However, he decided to move on from the idea after someone posing as her manager claimed that the actress would not wear sleeveless outfits.

However's Sai Pallavi's reaction to Vanga's comments have been shared on X by Gulte. The actor spoke highly of Vanga’s unfiltered nature, both on and off-screen, and praised his consistency despite external influences.

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“I believe every director should have a voice, and Sandeep remains unapologetically himself. In a world where many change to fit into certain spaces for fame and opportunity, it is refreshing to see someone who stays true to their vision. Having started with Arjun Reddy and now making his mark in North Indian cinema with even bigger projects, people eagerly anticipate his films,” she remarked.

Pallavi also expressed her appreciation for Vanga’s kind words and clarified the misunderstanding regarding her supposed manager. “I don't have a manager, so I have no idea who 'fooled' you. By the way, I think Arjun Reddy is a beautifully crafted film, just as it is," she said hailing the performances of Shalini Pandey and Vijay Deverakonda in the movie.

Meanwhile, Sai Pallavi is gearing up for the release of Thandel. The much-anticipated film is set to hit cinemas on February 7.

Vanga - Controversies favourite child

Sandeep Reddy Vanga over the years has earned the wrath of progressive cinephiles for his portrayal of toxic masculinity, whether it be in Arjun Reddy or it's remake Kabir Singh or his last film Animal. His films have been called out for being largely misogynistic and regressive.

Sai Pallavi's comments leaves cinephiles in splits

However, Sai Pallavi, who is considered one among the crusaders of strong female led cinema, praising the contrversial director on a big stage has left both her fans and pundits confused. 

 Social media users have criticised her remarks, with many expressing their dismay. One comment simply labelled her opinion as “clownish,” while another stated, “Didn’t expect this from you.” A disheartened fan wrote, “Sai, I used to love you,” while another pleaded, “Please tell me she’s being sarcastic.”

The backlash continued as one user remarked, “Sai Pallavi is losing aura points,” and another added, “Seriously, not expected from you, Sai.” A particularly scathing comment read, “Being unfiltered doesn’t mean justifying toxicity in interviews and films. This proves, once again, that most cinema stars are completely out of touch.”

Praise for Ananya

Meanwhile, the controversy has led some to develop a newfound respect for actress Ananya Panday, who previously spoke out against the glorification of toxic male characters in films. During her appearance on Koffee with Karan, Ananya openly stated that she does not find films like Kabir Singh appealing, winning praise from fans.

“This made me like Ananya Panday even more,” one fan wrote, recalling how she had the “courage” to challenge both Karan Johar and Vijay Deverakonda on the show. “She outright said that glorifying men like Kabir Singh is wrong and that such characters aren’t attractive. I remember both men were quite arrogant in that episode.”

Another supporter added, “Yes, call her privileged if you like, but standing up to misogyny takes courage—and she showed it.” (With inputs from Agencies)