Shraddha Kapoor has responded to the conversation around her Marathi accent in the trailer of Eetha — not with a point-by-point defence, but by declining the debate altogether.
A response that isn’t a rebuttal
During an Instagram Ask Me Anything session, Kapoor was asked how she handles criticism. Her answer quickly turned to the volume of messages she does not keep up with.
“I actually don’t handle criticism. What’s there to handle in that? I can’t even handle my WhatsApp. I don’t even have a manager, nor am I affiliated with any agency. My friends, directors, and producers keep scolding me for not checking my phone.”
She added: “I’m not interested in handling any criticism. All I want to do is work, and more and more work. That’s it.”
The admission that she works without a manager or agency is notable for a mainstream Hindi film actor. It reframes her public silence as a deliberate simplification rather than a delayed reaction to the trailer discourse.
Why the question is being asked
The criticism follows the trailer of Eetha, in which Kapoor plays Vithabai Narayangaonkar, a celebrated Lavani and Tamasha performer from Maharashtra. Some viewers have questioned whether her Marathi accent and pronunciation are convincing, while others have raised concerns about dialogue delivery and the overall portrayal.
Vithabai Narayangaonkar’s legacy is tied to Maharashtra’s folk entertainment tradition. Lavani combines rhythm, music and performance, often carried by its vocal and lyrical texture; Tamasha is a folk theatre form associated with Maharashtra’s cultural identity. An actor stepping into that lineage is judged as much by voice and diction as by physicality. The film therefore carries the weight of representation as well as performance.
- Film: Eetha, directed by Laxman Utekar
- Cast: Shraddha Kapoor, Randeep Hooda, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub
- Release: December 4, 2026, in theatres
Letting the role answer
Kapoor’s framing turns attention from social media replies to the eventual screen test. For an actor playing a historical performer, the fuller answer to accent criticism can only come when audiences see the whole film, not a trailer cut. Trailers compress performance, and accent debates are often revisited once the full scene rhythm is available.
Her remarks also leave a clear public position ahead of the release: the star is focused on the work, and the conversation about craft will have to be settled in cinemas. That may not quiet every detractor, but it does set the terms for how she intends to spend the next month before opening day.
Source: The Times of India
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