It appears that release of the much-awaited sequel to Baahubali - The Beginning , directed by S.S. Rajamouli, is likely to face problem in Karnataka because of the alleged ‘inflammatory’ remarks made by actor Sathyaraj during the Cauvery agitation a few years ago.
Mr. Sathyaraj essays the important role of Katappa, a warrior slave who is loyal to the king, in the historical movie.
A few days ago, some people opposed the re-release of Baahubali-The Beginning in Market City Mall in Mahadevapura. They splashed black ink on the face of the manager of the theatre.
On Monday, Kannada Okkuta, an umbrella body of Kannada organisations, cautioned against screening Baahubali - The Conclusion , which is slated for release on April 28 ‘until Sathyaraj apologises personally to Kannadigas for the unsavoury comment’.
Former MLA Vatal Nagaraj took serious exception to the alleged ‘derogatory’ remarks made by Sathyaraj at a rally in Tamil Nadu. At the same time, he insisted that the organisations are not against the film, but only the actor.
Activists have threatened to protest in front of every theatre where the film would be screened.
Sa. Ra. Govindu, President, Akhila Karnataka Dr. Rajkumar Fans’ Association, urged Mr. Sathyaraj to visit Bengaluru and apologise for his remark. "Otherwise, the actor will be responsible for the inconvenience caused during the release," he said.
When The Hindu contacted Lahari Velu of Lahari Recording Company, which bought the audio rights of the film, he said, “The producers and director of the film are aware of the development. They have to take the final call on the sensitive issue.”