Kasthuri Shankar Arrested for Controversial Anti-Telugu Remarks
- On November 16, 2024, actress Kasthuri Shankar was arrested by Chennai Police in Hyderabad.
- The 50-year-old actress, recognized for films such as Indian and Annamayya, sparked public outrage when she stated that Telugu people were descendants of courtesans who served ancient kings.
- Her comments drew significant backlash, leading the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court to deny her anticipatory bail, labeling her remarks as "unwarranted." Following this, police began...
Kasthuri Shankar Arrested for Controversial Comments on Telugu People
On November 16, 2024, actress Kasthuri Shankar was arrested by Chennai Police in Hyderabad. This action followed her controversial remarks about the Telugu community made during an event in Tamil Nadu.
The 50-year-old actress, recognized for films such as Indian and Annamayya, sparked public outrage when she stated that Telugu people were descendants of courtesans who served ancient kings.
Her comments drew significant backlash, leading the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court to deny her anticipatory bail, labeling her remarks as “unwarranted.” Following this, police began searching for her after she failed to respond to communications and was reported missing from her Chennai home.
The Chennai Egmore police filed a complaint against her under four provisions of the Bharat Nagrik Suraksha Samhita. Dr. Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy, a BJP leader, condemned her remarks and demanded an apology, claiming they undermined harmony between Tamil Nadu residents.
After facing criticism, Kasthuri expressed regret. She stated on X that she did not intend to insult the Telugu community and apologized for any unintentional offense. Despite this, she defended her comments to the media, arguing that they targeted a specific historical group rather than the entire Telugu population.
Kasthuri has appeared in various successful South Indian films like GodFather, Vadacurry, and Krishna.