Miffed with actor Sathyaraj, pro-Kannada groups threaten to stall ‘Baahubali 2’ release

The entire nation has eagerly been waiting for the theatrical release of SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, but some pro-Kannada groups say, they will not let the movie release in Karnataka.

Members of Kannada Rakshana Vedike staged a protest outside the Karnataka Film Chamber in Bengaluru on Thursday, claiming that they will not allow the movie to be released. The group has a problem with one actor in the film – Sathyaraj, who plays the role of Kattapa.

According to Kannada Rakshana Vedike Chief Praveen Shetty, Tamil actor Sathyaraj had spoken about Kannadigas “using inflammatory language” during the Cauvery water sharing protests in 2016.

“Kollywood actor Sathyaraj supported Tamil Nadu during the Cauvery issue and spoke badly about Karnataka and Kannadigas. This has hurt our sentiments. Any self-respecting Kannadiga will agree with me on this. We will not allow Baahubali to be released unless actor Sathyaraj apologises to all Kannadigas,” Praveen Shetty said.

The protest gathered ground when Film Chamber President Sara Govindaraju and Sandalwood Rakshana Vedike Chief along with members of the outfit joined the protest and shouted slogans against actor Sathyaraj and demanded an apology from him.

“We deserve an apology from him (Sathyaraj). Why should we sit quietly and allow his film to be released in Karnataka if he does not respect Kannadigas?” Sara Govindaraju asked.

While these groups are protesting against the release of the film itself, another group in Karnataka wants to ensure that the film is dubbed into Kannada. Opposing the stand of anti-dubbing industry bodies, the Kannada Film Chamber of Commerce (KAFCC) has approached K.V. Vijayendra Prasad, the script writer of the film and director Rajamouli’s father, to release the film in Kannada, according to The Hindu.

Baahubali 2: The Conclusion is slated to hit the theatres on April 28 amidst a lot of expectations. The filmmakers will be releasing the film across the globe in Tamil and Telugu on the same day.

Directed by SS Rajamouli, the film features Prabhas, Rana, Sathyaraj, Anushka, and Tammannah in important roles. The sequel will give the answer as to why Katappa, played by Sathyaraj, killed Baahubali, played by Prabhas.

With inputs from Digital Native