Tirupati laddu remark: Pawan Kalyan 'appreciates' actor Karthi's apology

CHENNAI: Actor and Jana Sena Party founder Pawan Kalyan on Wednesday replied to actor Karthi's apology over his remark on the laddu row, appreciating him for "the respect you've shown towards our shared traditions." 

Actor Karthi who was in Hyderabad on Monday for the promotions of Meiyazhagan's Telugu version, Sathyam Sundaram, was asked by an  emcee if he would like to eat laddus, after playing a clip from his film Siruthai. Karthi played down the question by saying he wouldn't want to right now because it is a sensitive issue, indirectly referring to the row over the alleged use of animal fat in the laddus at the Tirupati temple. This did not go down well with the Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, following which Karthi apologised on X. 

Replying to Karthi's apology tweet, Pawan Kalyan in an X post said, "Dear @Karthi_Offl garu, I sincerely appreciate your kind gesture and swift response, as well as the respect you've shown towards our shared traditions. Matters concerning our sacred institutions, like Tirupati and its revered laddus, carry deep emotional weight for millions of devotees, and it’s essential for all of us to handle such topics with care. That said, I wanted to bring this to your notice with no intentions behind it, and I understand the situation was unintentional. Our responsibility as public figures is to foster unity and respect, especially regarding what we cherish most—our culture and spiritual values. Let's always strive to uplift these values while continuing to inspire through cinema."

He also wished the Tamil actor for the success of his film Meiyazhagan, which is releasing on Friday, and expressed his admiration for his talent.

Earlier, while responding to Karthi's remark, Pawan Kalyan had also urged those in the film fraternity to stay united on the laddu row "or stay quiet and not make unwanted remarks."

(With inputs from Bureau)