‘Param Sundari’, starring Janhvi Kapoor and Sidharth Malhotra, has come under fire for a scene depicting the actress on a coconut tree. A still from the movie, showing the female lead hacking coconuts, has gone viral, leading to widespread criticism. Viewers are calling out the filmmakers for promoting “insulting” and stereotypical visuals of Malayali culture, fueling a social media storm. Check out the reactions to Janhvi Kapoor’s scene from the recently released ‘Param Sundari.’
‘Param Sundari’ coconut scene sparks online outrage
The specific scene in question, which shows Janhvi Kapoor climbing a coconut tree to seemingly represent the life of a Malayali, has been widely condemned. Social media users have shared the image, describing it as both “insulting” and “stereotypical.”The backlash points to a deeper issue of how Bollywood often misrepresents South Indian cultures. One user on X shared a personal anecdote, stating, “How else one can prove they are South Indian than do stereotypical nonsense?” Another user simply added, “Wow, this is worse than I’d have thought.” A person commented, “Most mallu girls climb the coconut tree when they need to hydrate. Simple Bollywood logic.”Many from the Malayali diaspora have expressed their frustration over the film’s clichéd portrayal of their culture. A third fan took to social media to voice their disappointment, saying, “The way Bollywood stereotypes the south culture—to all the Malayali, this is absolutely painful to watch.”Check out more comments here.
‘Param Sundari’s box office struggle amidst controversy
The film’s performance at the box office seems to mirror the online criticism. According to early estimates from Sacnilk, ‘Param Sundari’ saw a significant dip on its first Monday, collecting only Rs 3.50 crore. This marked a 65% drop from its Sunday earnings of Rs 10.25 crore. The film’s total collection after four days stands at Rs 28.19 crore, a concerning number given its strong opening weekend.’Param Sundari’ is a cross-cultural love story that attempts to explore the relationship between two people from different backgrounds—Delhi and Kerala. The film also stars Rajeev Khandelwal and Aakash Dahiya in pivotal roles. It was released in theaters on August 29, 2025.
