Actor Prakash Raj has once again come under the legal scanner and public backlash after his remarks on the Ramayana resurfaced online, sparking outrage. The comments, which allegedly hurt religious sentiments, were made earlier this year by the actor. A complaint has been filed against Prakash, and a notice has been sent to him over the matter.
What Prakash Raj said?
Back in January, while speaking at the Kerala Literature Festival during an interaction with journalist Shahina KK, Prakash Raj narrated a version of the Ramayana which was performed by a children’s theatre group as part of a creative workshop.
Recalling the story, he shared, “While they were eating, Shurpanakha (Ravana’s sister) and Ravana suddenly appeared. An angry Shurpanakha said, ‘Brother, they are eating fruits.’ On this, Ravan said, ‘They are hungry. Let them eat. We will talk later.`”
He further added a contemporary component to the narrative, stating, “Ram said that we have eaten fruits from Ravana’s field, so we will pay. On this, Shurpanakha said, ‘USD 2,000 with GST.’ Ram and Lakshman said that they did not have money, even after Ravana gave them a discount. Then Ravana said, ‘You had come here in search of fruits, and now that you have eaten the fruits, plant their seeds, grow trees, and go back.`”
Many believe these remarks were a commentary on the North-South divide. During the same interaction, Raj also stated that people from the North should “come to the South, work, and then go back. They should not talk about things like one nation, one election”.
Prakash Raj faces legal trouble
A complaint was reportedly filed on Thursday, April 16, by Advocate Amita Sachdeva over Prakash Raj`s “deliberately malicious acts” that seemingly outraged the religious feelings of Hindus.
In a complaint, she described herself as a “devout Hindu and concerned citizen whose religious sentiments have been deeply hurt”. While pledging to pursue the case vigorously, she added, “Insults to our Bhagwans and Sanatan Dharma will no longer be tolerated. These people must understand — there are limits.” The details of the complaint were also shared by her in a post on X.
Similarly, according to a Deccan Chronicle report, Prakash Raj has been sent a legal notice from Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) Board member Bhanu Prakash Reddy over his remarks on the Ramayana. The notice, sent through legal counsel, demands a public apology and claims that Prakash Raj made statements offensive to Hindu beliefs and hurt religious sentiments. The legal team also warned that failure to apologise could result in a defamation case seeking damages of up to Rs 100 crore.
