Ranveer Singh Kantara row: In a relief to Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh, the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday directed police not to take any coercive steps against him in a 2025 case related to allegedly mocking a local deity. The Bollywood actor found himself in a legal soup after he mimicked Rishab Shetty’s blockbuster role in Kantara: Chapter 1. Following criticism for his action, the Dhurandhar star had then apologised for his ‘reckless’ actions after causing a stir on social media, and allegedly hurting religious sentiments.
In a hearing presided by Justice M Nagaprasanna, Ranveer Singh’s legal team acknowledged the actor’s ‘recklessness’. The judge also reprimanded the actor for his behaviour and said hurting religious sentiments, and concluded, “You may be Ranveer Singh or anybody. You can’t be loose tongued at all!”and asserted, “Super star is not oopar (above) law, sir.”
What caused Ranveer row?
During his sech at the 55th IFFI in Goa, Ranveer Singh went on to praise actor-director Rishab Shetty‘s performance in Kantara: Chapter 1. He referred to his performance as a ‘female ghost’ and then went on to mimic his viral, yet praiseworthy scene. This triggered a series of complaints after his behaviour reportedly hurt the religious sentiments of a certain sections of the community, especially those who worship Goddess Chamundy.
The complaint was filed by 46-year-old advocate Prashanth Methal in December 2025. It claimed that Ranveer Singh mimicked expressions linked to Panjuluri and Guliga Daiva in a ‘crude and disrespectful manner’. He claimed that these actions were ‘deliberate and malicious,’ causing Singh to challenge these accusations.
Ranveer Singh’s Kantara hearing
Senior Advocate Sajan Poovayya appeared on behalf of Singh and argued, “I admit, a completely insensitive statement made by me at a formal occasion led to complaint being filed,” as per the Bar and Bench coverage. To which Justice Nagaprasanna replied, “If you are speaking about a deity (you have to do your research), you cant call it a ghost. You have no right to hurt anybody’s religious sentiments…You have apologised, but will your apology take back all the words? I, you, people may forget. But internet never forgets.”
“Sentiments of the state cannot be taken for a ride by anybody,” recommended the Karnataka HC judge and said that Singh should have just stopped at praising Shetty, instead of mimicking the scene.
At the end, the court declared that since the actor has acknowledged and apologised for his hurtful actions. “But don’t take coercive steps… He is admitting he was reckless. You (Ranveer Singh) are reckless. And you have no right to do what you have done,” the HC ruled.