Chennai: The Tamil Nadu police Tuesday booked actor Kasthuri Shankar for allegedly promoting hatred in society and inciting violence, following her controversial remarks about the Telugu community that sparked widespread outrage in the state.
The case has been registered at Chennai’s F2 Egmore Police Station under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 192 (inciting riot), 196(1)(a) (promoting enmity between groups), 353(1)(b) (spreading false information), and 353(2) (spreading false information that can incite violence) following a complaint from the All India Telugu Federation.
At an event organised Sunday by right-wing outfit Hindu Makkal Katchi (HMK), the actor asked why Brahmins settled in Tamil Nadu are not considered Tamil when Telugu-speaking people are. Speaking at the event, which called for “legal protection for Brahmins”, she also claimed that the Tamil film industry had denied her roles because she is a Brahmin.
“When Telugu people, who came to serve the women of kings 300 years ago, claim to be Tamils, who are you to say Brahmins who came long ago aren’t Tamils? This is why they cannot call themselves ‘Tamilargal Munnetra Kazhagam’ and found a term called Dravidians instead,” she said.
Kasthuri is known for her roles in South Indian films, including Tamil, Malayalam, and Telugu, such as Vadacurry (2014), Indian (1996), and Tamizh Padam (2010). She has also appeared in TV serials and reality shows, including Bigg Boss, and actively campaigned for the BJP during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Her comments had sparked a massive uproar across the state, drawing reactions from both the ruling DMK and the BJP.
DMK MP A. Raja condemned her remarks, stating they were against women, while the state BJP unit also called for her to withdraw the statements. In response, Kasthuri issued a clarification on X Tuesday, claiming her words had been taken out of context. She said she had been receiving threats and attacks on social media, and clarified that her comments were directed at specific individuals, not the entire Telugu community.
“It was never my intention to hurt or offend my Telugu extended family. I am sorry for any inadvertent ill feeling. In the interest of all-round amity, I withdraw all references to Telugu in my speech delivered on 3rd November 2024,” the actor wrote.