- Wednesday, February 19, 2025
By: Vibhuti Pathak
Rashmika Mandanna has found herself at the center of controversy after a recent statement at a promotional event for Chhaava, where she referred to herself as being from Hyderabad. The actress, who hails from Virajpet in Karnataka, made the comment while addressing the audience, leading to an uproar among Kannada fans who accused her of distancing herself from her roots.
The clip from the event, which has gone viral on social media, shows Rashmika saying, “Because I’m from Hyderabad, and I have come alone and today I hope I am a part of all of your family.” While the audience at the venue applauded, many online took offense. A Twitter user posted the video with the caption, “I sometimes feel pity for you for receiving unnecessary negativity/targeting from our fellow Kannadigas. But when you make statements like this, I think they are right, and you deserve the backlash.”
‘@iamRashmika, I sometimes feel pity for you for receiving unnecessary negativity/targeting from our fellow Kannadigas.
But when you make statements like this I think they are right and you deserve the backlash.👍#Kannada #Chaava #RashmikaMandanna pic.twitter.com/RBY7RcpHgP— Virat👑Rocky✨️ (@Virat_Rocky18) February 14, 2025
Many Kannada-speaking netizens criticized her, with some calling her an opportunist and accusing her of prioritizing the Telugu film industry over her Kannada roots. “I just feel she tries to over-impress the Telugu audience and Telugu film fraternity and ends up making such statements,” one user commented.
The backlash follows a recurring pattern for Rashmika, who started her career in Kannada cinema but found widespread fame in Telugu films. She made her acting debut in 2016 with Kirik Party, followed by Chamak (2017). Her transition to Telugu cinema began with Chalo in 2018, and she quickly gained recognition with hits like Geetha Govindam, Dear Comrade, and Sarileru Neekevvaru. However, it was Pushpa: The Rise (2021) that established her as a pan-Indian star. She continued her success with Pushpa 2: The Rule (2024) and ventured into Bollywood with Goodbye (2022), later securing her first major Hindi hit with Animal (2023).
Meanwhile, Chhaava, in which Rashmika stars alongside Vicky Kaushal, has become the biggest Hindi opener of 2025, collecting $3,576,935 on its first day. Directed by Laxman Utekar, the film’s success is being celebrated, but Rashmika’s statement has overshadowed the moment.
Despite the controversy, the actress has not responded to the criticism yet. However, her comments have reignited debates on regional identity in Indian cinema, where actors often face scrutiny for their affiliations with different industries.
