Overview

• Bhatia rejected claims that the scene was non-consensual, insisting it portrays Avantika’s self-discovery through Shivudu’s affectionate wooing
• She described how the sequence uses the removal of Avantika’s warrior armor and the application of natural makeup, bangles and a bindi to signal her feminine rebirth
• The actress attributed the controversy to India’s societal repression of natural intimacy, arguing that shame and guilt are deployed to suppress open discussion
• She cautioned that viewers’ mindsets heavily influence their readings of romantic scenes, turning beauty into perceived abuse for those who stigmatize sex
• Her defense has reignited broader debates in Indian cinema on consent, representation of intimacy and respecting directorial vision