It is artistic freedom: Janhvi Kapoor on Ranveer Singh's photoshoot

Ranveer is facing an FIR in Mumbai for his nude photographs

73-Janhvi-Kapoor Janhvi Kapoor | Getty Images

Bollywood actor Janhvi Kapoor says Ranveer Singh has a freedom to express as an artiste and should not be "penalised" for it.

Singh is at the centre of a controversy over his bare-bodied photographs shot for an international magazine. The Gully Boy star is facing an FIR in Mumbai following a complaint from an NGO alleging that he had "hurt the sentiments of women in general and insulted their modesty through his photographs".

"I think it is our freedom and I don't think anyone should be penalised for their artistic freedom," Kapoor told reporters at an event here on Friday.

The 25-year-old actor is the latest Bollywood celebrity to support Singh, joining Alia Bhatt, Arjun Kapoor, Vidya Balan, Pooja Bedi and Swara Bhasker, among others. Kapoor's latest release is Good Luck Jerry, which dropped on streaming platform Disney+ Hotstar on Friday.

The actor said she is happy to see audience reaction to her film and hopes more people will like it. Directed by Siddharth Sengupta and produced by Aanand L Rai, Good Luck Jerry is a remake of the 2018 Tamil film Kolamaavu Kokila, starring Nayanthara and Yogi Babu.

"I am very hopeful about the film. It is a simple and lovely story and we hope it makes you laugh and gives an entertaining experience, she said. Up next for Kapoor is director Nitesh Tiwari's romance drama Bawaal, opposite Varun Dhawan, and Karan Johar's home production Mr and Mrs Mahi with Rajkummar Rao.