Actor Karthi has issued an apology to Pawan Kalyan after laughing at a question regarding the controversy surrounding Tirupati Laddu. At a recent event in Chennai, Karthi was asked about claims that animal fat had been used in the laddus from Tirupati’s Sri Venkateswara Temple. His reaction of laughing off the allegations did not sit well with many, including actor-politician Pawan Kalyan.
Pawan Kalyan, along with several others, expressed their displeasure over Karthi’s reaction. Andhra Pradesh’s Deputy Chief Minister also weighed in, stating, “Don’t you dare say it is a sensitive issue or make jokes about the Tirupati Laddu. I urge everyone from the film fraternity to either support this fight or stay silent. I would request everyone to refrain from making unnecessary remarks.”
Following the backlash, Karthi took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to express his regret. In his apology to Pawan Kalyan, he wrote, “Dear @PawanKalyan sir, with deep respects to you, I apologize for any unintended misunderstanding caused. As a humble devotee of Lord Venkateswara, I always hold our traditions dear. Best regards.”
Dear @PawanKalyan sir, with deep respects to you, I apologize for any unintended misunderstanding caused. As a humble devotee of Lord Venkateswara, I always hold our traditions dear. Best regards.
— Karthi (@Karthi_Offl) September 24, 2024
The controversy surrounding the Tirupati Laddu erupted on September 18, when Andhra Pradesh’s former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu accused the previous government, led by Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, of using animal fat in the preparation of the temple’s famous laddus. In response, Reddy’s party, the YSRCP, called Naidu’s claims “heinous allegations” made for political reasons.
Further intensifying the row, Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh, Chandrababu Naidu’s son, claimed that lab reports indicated the use of beef fat, fish oil, and lard in the laddus, though these claims remain highly contested.
