{"id":41221,"date":"2025-09-18T18:34:32","date_gmt":"2025-09-18T13:04:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/2025\/09\/18\/param-sundari-2025-janhvi-kapoors-coconut-tree-climb-stirs-buzz-backlash-and-bollywoods-old-habits\/"},"modified":"2025-09-18T18:34:32","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T13:04:32","slug":"param-sundari-2025-janhvi-kapoors-coconut-tree-climb-stirs-buzz-backlash-and-bollywoods-old-habits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/2025\/09\/18\/param-sundari-2025-janhvi-kapoors-coconut-tree-climb-stirs-buzz-backlash-and-bollywoods-old-habits\/","title":{"rendered":"Param Sundari 2025: Janhvi Kapoor\u2019s Coconut Tree Climb Stirs Buzz, Backlash, and Bollywood\u2019s Old Habits"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p data-start=\"306\" data-end=\"816\"><span data-sheets-root=\"1\"><strong>Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 18:<\/strong> Bollywood does not often demure from presenting viewers a combination of drama, glamour, and a dash of improbability.<a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/entertainment\/hindi\/movie-reviews\/param-sundari\/movie-review\/123581130.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em> Param Sundari<\/em><\/a>, Janhvi Kapoor\u2019s new romantic-drama, is no exception. While the movie tries to relate a love affair tracing from the Delhi streets to Kerala\u2019s landscapes, it\u2019s not the romance, nor even the music, that\u2019s leaving viewers arguing. Rather, it\u2019s one scene\u2014one coconut tree climb\u2014took over unexpectedly, commandeering headlines, memes, and Twitter discussions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"818\" data-end=\"1071\">The debate? Whether Janhvi Kapoor\u2019s daredevil ascent is \u201cbold cinematic liberty\u201d or \u201cBollywood\u2019s favorite brand of unrealistic logic.\u201d Netizens, as usual, wasted no time in delivering their verdict\u2014half amusement, half outrage, and full entertainment.<\/p>\n<h4 data-start=\"1078\" data-end=\"1110\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-54823 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/PNN-2025-09-18T183259994.jpg\" alt=\"Sundari \" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"><\/h4>\n<h4 data-start=\"1078\" data-end=\"1110\">A Film with Lofty Ambitions<\/h4>\n<p><em>Param Sundari<\/em> is marketed as a cross-cultural love saga. Kapoor acts as a feisty young woman traversing the conflict of North and South Indian ways with her own identity. The story takes her from the rush of Delhi to the coconut-lined Kerala, where, in a scene designed to illustrate her pluck, she scales a coconut tree with admirable ease.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.koimoi.com\/box-office\/param-sundari-box-office-day-19-its-a-losing-affair-maddock-films-fails-to-break-its-6-year-old-record\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Director Raghav Varma<\/a><\/strong> obviously hoped this would be an allegorical moment: a young woman grasping for independence and roots simultaneously. But symbolism in Bollywood frequently conflicts with reality\u2014and viewers seldom forgive such cinematic hubris without a meme storm.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1112\" data-end=\"1510\">The Scene That Became a Meme<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1816\" data-end=\"1985\">What was supposed to be an empowering visual quickly morphed into a social media circus. Twitter (or X, for those insisting on new branding) was flooded with comments:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"1987\" data-end=\"2267\">\n<li data-start=\"1987\" data-end=\"2111\">\n<p data-start=\"1989\" data-end=\"2111\">\u201cBollywood logic: you can\u2019t cook rice without dramatic background music, but you <em data-start=\"2070\" data-end=\"2075\">can<\/em> climb coconut trees in lehengas.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2112\" data-end=\"2197\">\n<p data-start=\"2114\" data-end=\"2197\">\u201cWe Keralites train for years. Janhvi Kapoor does it between two songs. Respect.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2198\" data-end=\"2267\">\n<p data-start=\"2200\" data-end=\"2267\">\u201cCoconut water sales are about to skyrocket thanks to Param Sundari.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"2269\" data-end=\"2513\">Some users praised Kapoor\u2019s dedication\u2014rumours even claim she trained briefly with local stunt experts. Others dismissed it as tone-deaf cultural appropriation, asking why the industry insists on reducing regional practices into glossy props.<\/p>\n<h4 data-start=\"2520\" data-end=\"2561\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-54820 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/PNN-2025-09-18T182142115-1.jpg\" alt=\"Sundari \" width=\"2400\" height=\"1350\"><\/h4>\n<h4 data-start=\"2520\" data-end=\"2561\">The Positives: Where the Film Shines<\/h4>\n<p data-start=\"2563\" data-end=\"2646\">To give credit where due, <em data-start=\"2589\" data-end=\"2604\">Param Sundari<\/em> isn\u2019t entirely lost in the controversy.<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"2648\" data-end=\"3369\">\n<li data-start=\"2648\" data-end=\"2841\">\n<p data-start=\"2650\" data-end=\"2841\"><strong data-start=\"2650\" data-end=\"2670\">Visual Splendor:<\/strong> The cinematography captures Kerala\u2019s backwaters and Delhi\u2019s bustling contrast with an eye for detail. The film looks stunning even when the script occasionally wobbles.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2842\" data-end=\"3054\">\n<p data-start=\"2844\" data-end=\"3054\"><strong data-start=\"2844\" data-end=\"2869\">Music &amp; Choreography:<\/strong> The soundtrack, composed by Amaal Mallik, has already climbed Spotify charts. Dance numbers, especially the titular \u201cParam Sundari\u201d track, are social-media-ready and TikTok-friendly.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3055\" data-end=\"3241\">\n<p data-start=\"3057\" data-end=\"3241\"><strong data-start=\"3057\" data-end=\"3081\">Janhvi\u2019s Commitment:<\/strong> Love her or lampoon her, Kapoor puts in visible effort. Her screen presence oscillates between vulnerable and fiery, making her the heartbeat of the project.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3242\" data-end=\"3369\">\n<p data-start=\"3244\" data-end=\"3369\"><strong data-start=\"3244\" data-end=\"3271\">Cross-Cultural Message:<\/strong> Despite execution flaws, the intention of bridging North\u2013South traditions deserves recognition.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4 data-start=\"3376\" data-end=\"3410\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-54821 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/PNN-2025-09-18T182737103.jpg\" alt=\"Sundari \" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"><\/h4>\n<h4 data-start=\"3376\" data-end=\"3410\">The Negatives: Where It Trips<\/h4>\n<p data-start=\"3412\" data-end=\"3484\">Still, the coconut tree debacle isn\u2019t the film\u2019s only stumbling block.<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"3486\" data-end=\"4212\">\n<li data-start=\"3486\" data-end=\"3709\"><strong>Script Predictability:<\/strong> Apart from its cultural mix-up, the story adheres to tested Bollywood formulas: love collides with parental opposition, tradition confronts tradition, and reconciliation ensues. Audiences were quick to spot d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu.<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3486\" data-end=\"3709\"><strong>Unintended Comedy:<\/strong> A number of \u201cserious\u201d moments made audiences laugh in cinemas, not because of clever scripting but because of melodrama. The coconut tree incident was not intended as a comedy, but played like it.<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3486\" data-end=\"3709\"><strong>Shallow Representation:<\/strong> Kerala\u2019s rich heritage is reduced to trite tropes\u2014<a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/entertainment\/hindi\/bollywood\/news\/param-sundari-janhvi-kapoors-coconut-tree-scene-sparks-outrage-netizens-say-simple-bollywood-logic\/articleshow\/123655749.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">coconuts<\/a>, boat races, Kathakali walk-ons\u2014instead of thoughtful narrative.<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3486\" data-end=\"3709\"><strong>Uneven Pacing:<\/strong> At 2 hours 38 minutes, the film bumbles along. The first half delights, the second half overstays its welcome.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4 data-start=\"4219\" data-end=\"4240\">Box Office Pulse<\/h4>\n<p data-start=\"4242\" data-end=\"4575\">Despite the controversy\u2014or perhaps because of it\u2014<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thenewsminute.com\/flix\/param-sundari-review-a-romcom-where-makeupitta-sundari-shreds-malayalam-like-a-coconut\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em data-start=\"4291\" data-end=\"4306\">Param Sundari<\/em><\/a> opened to <strong data-start=\"4317\" data-end=\"4343\">strong weekend numbers<\/strong>. Multiplex audiences in metros reported houseful shows, though single screens in smaller towns saw middling turnout. By mid-week, collections dipped slightly, indicating that while curiosity was high, repeat value may be limited.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4577\" data-end=\"4786\">Trade analysts suggest the film could cross \u20b9100 crore if international markets hold steady. In the Gulf and US, Janhvi Kapoor\u2019s star power among diaspora audiences seems to be giving the film an extra push.<\/p>\n<h4 data-start=\"4793\" data-end=\"4830\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-54822 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/PNN-2025-09-18T183052947.jpg\" alt=\"Sundari \" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"><\/h4>\n<h4 data-start=\"4793\" data-end=\"4830\">Social Media Buzz Keeps It Alive<\/h4>\n<p data-start=\"4832\" data-end=\"5107\">Interestingly, the coconut tree moment may have given <em data-start=\"4886\" data-end=\"4901\">Param Sundari<\/em> more free publicity than its official campaigns. Memes, reels, and parody videos are ensuring the film remains trending. Marketing strategists will tell you: outrage today is often ticket sales tomorrow.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5109\" data-end=\"5349\">Kapoor\u2019s fans passionately defend her, contending that she infuses Bollywood\u2019s all-too-familiar formula with freshness. Critics say that she is, once again, protected by nepotism. The reality, as always, finds middle ground between admiration and skepticism.<\/p>\n<h4 data-start=\"5356\" data-end=\"5384\">The Larger Conversation<\/h4>\n<p>Underneath the coconut scandal lies a greater problem: Why is Bollywood still making authenticity optional? Cultural practices like tree-climbing are not only visual backdrops; they are real acts endowed with meaning. By skating over their realities, directors run the risk of alienating audience members who expect authenticity with the pan-Indianization of film.<\/p>\n<p>And yet, it\u2019s also to be kept in mind that film depends on hyperbole. The same people who mock a coconut tree scene readily accept weightless action stunts in masala cinema. Selective outrage? Maybe. Selective tolerance? Guaranteed.<\/p>\n<h4 data-start=\"5998\" data-end=\"6010\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/fdWnfzsx-ks?si=qoKR22be6vQGQm1U\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/h4>\n<h4 data-start=\"5998\" data-end=\"6010\">Verdict<\/h4>\n<p><em>Param Sundari<\/em> is not the film revolution it may have dreamed of being, but it is certainly fun. Janhvi Kapoor bears most of the weight with good faith, even if the script doesn\u2019t always pay her back. The coconut tree might still be a sticking point for purists, but it has clearly guaranteed the film some place in 2025\u2019s cultural discourse.<\/p>\n<p>If you want rich imagery, good tunes, and a movie that makes you laugh and argue, shell out the cash for the popcorn. If you desire realism, perhaps forego the coconut palm\u2014or better yet, find a tree of your own and judge just how realistic it is.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/pnndigital.com\/category\/entertainment\/\">PNN News<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 18: Bollywood does not often demure from presenting viewers a combination of drama, glamour, and a dash of improbability. Param Sundari, Janhvi Kapoor\u2019s new romantic-drama, is no exception. While the movie tries to relate a love affair tracing from the Delhi streets to Kerala\u2019s landscapes, it\u2019s not the romance, nor even&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"more-link-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/2025\/09\/18\/param-sundari-2025-janhvi-kapoors-coconut-tree-climb-stirs-buzz-backlash-and-bollywoods-old-habits\/\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &ldquo;Param Sundari 2025: Janhvi Kapoor\u2019s Coconut Tree Climb Stirs Buzz, Backlash, and Bollywood\u2019s Old Habits&rdquo;<\/span> &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":41222,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[633],"class_list":["post-41221","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","tag-entertainment"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41221","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41221"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41221\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41222"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41221"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41221"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41221"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}