Ranveer Singh found himself in the spotlight for something other than his dance moves or quirky fashion. On Tuesday, the actor tendered an unconditional apology before the Karnataka High Court over his controversial remarks about the deity Chamundi Devi in the blockbuster film Kantara.
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The apology came amid a wave of social media outrage that began after Singh’s speech at the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa. While praising actor Rishab Shetty for his gripping performance in ‘Kantara: Chapter 1’, Singh referred to the Chamundi deity as a “female ghost” while mimicking Shetty’s performance. The comment did not sit well with devotees and triggered heated online debates, leading to legal action.
Court response: “It was not right”
At the Karnataka High Court, Justice M Nagaprasanna made it clear that Singh’s comments were “not correct” and “not supported”. Represented by Senior Advocate Sajan Poovayya, Singh agreed to file a formal affidavit of apology and even promised to visit the Chamundi temple on Mysore’s iconic Chamundi Hills to show respect.
The judge posted the case for further consideration on April 10.
FIR filed: Legal details
The controversy escalated quickly after the speech. The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate in Bengaluru ordered an investigation under Section 175(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023. Following this, the High Grounds Police Station registered an FIR against Ranveer under Sections 196 (religious enmity), 299 (religious insult), and 302 (public mischief) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Ranveer’s camp argued that the actor’s comments were taken out of context and there was no intention to hurt anyone’s religious sentiments. He pointed out that he had already issued an apology on social media.
However, the complainant, represented by advocate Siji Malayil, was not satisfied with the social media apology. They argued that since it was tweeted by Singh’s managers, it did not appear genuine.