Rishab Shetty faced backlash for speaking Kannada at a Hyderabad event and promised to speak in Telugu while promoting his next film, Jai Hanuman. Fans cheered his effort to connect with them in their language
Rishab Shetty
Actor Rishab Shetty, who is currently promoting his film Kantara – Chapter 1, recently visited Hyderabad for the film’s pre-release event. Also present at the event was Telugu superstar Jr NTR. While Rishab spoke highly of NTR Jr and praised the Telugu land, he faced backlash on social media for addressing the audience in Kannada. Many Telugu fans were upset that he did not respect the local language.
Rishab makes a promise to Telugu audience
In response to the controversy, Rishab visited Vijayawada on September 30, where he promised fans that he would speak in Telugu while promoting his next film, the Telugu mythological drama Jai Hanuman.
Speaking at the Vijayawada event, Rishab said, "Kannada, Kannadiga, and Telugu are brothers; everyone is a brother. I always see the pride of Kannada as a sense of brotherhood. We will all meet at the theatres on October 2 for Kantara. The next time I work on Ravi sir’s Jai Hanuman, I will learn Telugu properly and speak in Telugu then."
At the event, Rishab used a mix of Kannada and Telugu, which drew a huge cheer from fans.
#RishabShetty tried to speak in Telugu Today Thanking NTR, Prabhas & Pawan Kalyan for all the support to #KantaraChapter1!
— AndhraBoxOffice.Com (@AndhraBoxOffice) September 30, 2025
Says he doesn't know Telugu that well as yet but he will learn it for #JaiHanuman! pic.twitter.com/2TMgtpYiqK
Pawan Kalyan opposes Kantara boycott
After Rishab’s language row in Hyderabad and the ticket price hike in Andhra Pradesh, boycott calls against Kantara – Chapter 1 surfaced online. Amid this, actor and Deputy CM of Andhra Pradesh, Pawan Kalyan, came out in support of the film and opposed the boycott. Despite his own film They Call Him OG facing restrictions in Karnataka, Pawan Kalyan showcased rare magnanimity by openly supporting a ticket hike for the Kannada film in Andhra Pradesh. His message was clear: cinema is meant to unite people, not divide them.
Pawan Kalyan said, "Cinema, music, sports, and cultural arts have no boundaries of language, region, caste, or religion. Their core purpose is to entertain and connect people from all walks of life. It is unfortunate that some individuals, driven by personal agendas, have tried to block the screening of OG in Karnataka, just as some Telugu films have faced obstacles in the past. In response, a few voices are now calling for restrictions on Kannada films like Kantara in our Telugu states. I do not support this thinking."
He further added, "Art and cinema must spread joy, bridge cultures, and bring people together—not drive them apart. Every individual has the right to watch the film they love. If you don’t like a film, you can simply choose not to watch it. But targeting films out of hate or personal agendas is unacceptable. Today, Indian cinema is celebrated across the globe in every language. At a time like this, any attempt to confine art within regional limits must be strongly rejected. Let us support good films, wherever they come from."
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