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Urvashi Rautela addressed the backlash over her portrayal in Nadamuri Balakrishna starrer Daaku Maharaaj.
The song Dabidi Dibidi from Daaku Maharaaj also faced massive criticism for its choreography.
Urvashi Rautela recently starred in Nandamuri Balakrishna’s Daaku Maharaaj. Although she played a cop in the film, her introductory scene featured her in yoga gear, leaving the internet divided over the sexualised representation of women in cinema. In a recent conversation with The Hollywood Reporter India, Urvashi was asked about her view on the ‘sexualised’ portrayal of her character.
Urvashi Rautela said, “My stance is that when I sign a film, I trust and believe in my director. When a character is written, it’s part of the story’s narrative. As actors, we can’t interfere too much or dictate how a character should be portrayed. Once we sign a film, we cannot question the director’s vision.”
“Filmmaking isn’t just about my perspective, it’s the director who is the captain of the ship. Their decision is the most important. A director deserves creative freedom, and as an actor, I respect that,” she mentioned. Daaku Maharaaj is directed by Thaman S.
Urvashi Rautela and Nandamuri Balakrishna’s dance moves in the song ‘Dabidi Dibidi’ also received massive backlash on social media. Netizens slammed the choreography by Shekhar Master, calling the moves ‘crass’ and ‘vulgar’. Urvashi addressed the criticism over the dance moves, saying that the team didn’t anticipate this kind of reaction. She said that they thought it would be taken positively. Urvashi Rautela said that the song is made for Nandamuri Balakrishna’s fans and that every lyric is crafted according to their mindset.
However, the actress believes that there is nothing incorrect about her choreography in the song. She said, “When you talk about my choreography, it’s actually very simple. There’s nothing wrong with it. In fact, if you just focus on me in the frame, you’ll see that it’s really fantastic.” When pointed out that she was still a part of such a song, she said, “Yeah, that’s why I said that I always ensure my identity remains separate from my work. It’s important to receive feedback wholeheartedly and not let it overshadow my passion and commitment to my craft.”
The music video of the song, composed by Thaman S, shows Urvashi Rautela dressed in a crop top and skirt, while Nadamuri Balakrishna is seen hitting her belly button on beats, and pulling her up by her dress. Later in the song, the 64-year-old actor is seen hitting the actress on the rear.
