The movie proved a significant box-office hit, marking a comeback for Rajesh Khanna after a lean period. Sridevi’s energetic performance, comic timing, and glamorous (often revealing) outfits, paired with catchy songs and the popular pairing with Khanna, drew massive crowds. It capitalised on the era’s trend of masala entertainers featuring high-energy heroines who seduced the lead and the audiences.
However, Masterji sparked notable controversies over its perceived vulgarity. Sridevi’s mother reportedly questioned the “vulgar things” her daughter performed, and Sridevi herself later reflected on the criticism, admitting she hadn’t realised the implications at the time. Dimple Kapadia, Khanna’s ex-wife, publicly criticised the film, calling out the age gap and suggesting Khanna was “too fat and old” to romance the much younger Sridevi. She advised him to choose roles that suited him better. Yet Dimple also expressed deep admiration for Sridevi, declaring her “unquestionably” the best heroine of the time and a great admirer of her talent.
Decades later, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Today, Janhvi Kapoor (Sridevi’s daughter) faces strikingly similar critiques regarding outfits and camera angles that objectify or sexualise her in Peddi - which is all set for release on June 4, 2026. Just as her mother faced flack in the 1980s, young Ms Kapoor is getting her feet on coals on social media. The male gaze, public scrutiny of female bodies on screen, and debates over “vulgarity” persist in contemporary Indian cinema - particularly in Telugu films.
It was Masterji then, Peddi now - a reminder that while cinema evolves, certain societal attitudes towards women in the industry endure.
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