The Karnataka High Court has decided not to hold an urgent hearing requested by Ranveer Singh regarding the Kantara Daiva case. According to reports, the court stated that Singh could not receive special treatment because of his celebrity status and dismissed his request for an immediate review. The case is now scheduled for a hearing on February 24.
Ranveer Singh filed the case to challenge criminal proceedings against him following a complaint that claimed he offended religious sentiments. This complaint stems from an incident during the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) last year when Singh was on stage with Kannada actor-director Rishab Shetty.
At the event, Singh praised Shetty’s performance in Kantara: Chapter 1. However, there were claims that Singh mimicked expressions related to the character Panjurli/Guliga Daiva, leading to allegations that this imitation was disrespectful to a sacred tradition.
The complaint was made by advocate Prashanth Methal to the 1st Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court. Acting on this, the court referred the matter to the High Grounds police, who then filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Singh. The FIR includes sections that deal with promoting enmity and intentionally hurting religious feelings.
The complainant further alleged that Singh referred to Chavundi Daiva as a “female ghost” and emphasized that, given his global reach, he should have been mindful of the potential to offend devotees.
Singh’s legal team presented the matter to a bench led by Justice M Nagaprasanna, asking for an expedited review. They also noted that the police had already issued two notices to Singh. The petition requests a temporary halt to all proceedings in the case.
In light of the controversy, Ranveer Singh publicly apologized, stating that he had no intention of hurting anyone’s feelings and would refrain from making similar comments in the future. The matter is set to be heard in court on February 24.
