Sreeleela, one of Telugu cinema’s fastest-rising stars, has once again grabbed headlines—but this time not purely for her dancing prowess. The bilingual film Junior, released theatrically on July 18, 2025, introduced Kireeti Reddy as a leading man and marked Sreeleela’s return to Kannada cinema after her 2022 film ByTwoLove. The film’s standout number, Viral Vayyari, composed by Devi Sri Prasad, became an instant viral sensation. However, the buzz took a controversial turn as netizens began criticizing certain sequences from the song.
What began as praise for Sreeleela’s vivacious energy soon turned into online backlash, with many calling the choreography “vulgar,” “unnecessary,” and “made for exposure.” Specific focus has been on the dance steps involving Kireeti tightly holding Sreeleela’s midriff and a staged kiss that some found “distasteful.” A section of viewers even alleged that the actress appeared visibly uncomfortable in certain frames.
Fueling the debate further was a behind-the-scenes video that surfaced a few days after the song’s release. The clip shows Sreeleela attempting a tricky dance move, where she tries to balance herself while sitting on Kireeti’s thighs. Her expressions in the clip led several online users to speculate that the actress was under duress or discomfort during filming.
In an interview with TV9, Sreeleela directly addressed the controversy:
“It was not an easy step at all and I kept slipping. I was trying to figure out how to aesthetically do it in a way that audiences like it. In that process, I got quite frustrated that it wasn’t happening the way I’d envisioned. That stress was showing on my face. I was not uncomfortable.”
At the pre-release event of Junior, Sreeleela took to the stage to thank the team and made light of her newfound tag:
“Today I got the tag ‘Viral Vayyari’ because of you, Devi Sri Prasad sir. You are the viral…I am the vayyari.”
She also praised the composer for being involved throughout the song’s filming process—right from choreography to visual styling. “No wonder you’re a rockstar,” she said, applauding DSP’s commitment.
While glamorous dance numbers are nothing new in South Indian cinema, Viral Vayyari has triggered a larger conversation on agency, aesthetics, and creative choices in commercial cinema. Some critics argued that filmmakers tend to exploit actresses’ glam quotient for viral visibility, often sidelining the narrative substance of their roles.
This is particularly relevant in Junior, where Sreeleela appears in only one song and has herself stated that her role was “not extraordinary,” but she was drawn to the “emotional story” of the film.
Others came to her defense, stating that similar routines have existed in Indian cinema for decades and questioning why the same criticism wasn’t leveled at male performers.
Despite the controversy, Viral Vayyari remains a chartbuster, and Junior is running in theatres with decent traction, especially in youth-driven urban centers. However, many fans expressed hope that Sreeleela will soon transition into more content-rich roles that reflect her acting and classical dance training beyond her glamorous screen persona.
The actress is next set to appear in Mass Jathara, opposite Ravi Teja—another commercial entertainer where fans are hoping to see a different side of her.