Recently, actor Rashmika Mandanna was accused of neglecting the Kannada language and declining an invitation to attend the International Film Festival in Karnataka. However, a source close to the actor has now stepped forward to refute these allegations, asserting that they are entirely baseless and untrue. Also read: Karnataka MLA slams Rashmika Mandanna; accuses her of disregarding Kannada: ‘Shouldn’t we teach a lesson?’
The allegations were made by Congress MLA Ravikumar Gowda Ganiga recently.
Rashmika’s side of the story
According to a source, the clarification aims to set the record straight and quell the speculation surrounding Rashmika’s alleged actions.
“This bears reference to certain news reports alleging that Rashmika refused to attend the Bengaluru film festival and made derogatory statements about it and the state. The said news reports are completely false and do not have any element of truth,” said a source.
The insider added, “The statements attributed to Rashmika Mandanna and the entire story about someone approaching Rashmika Mandanna and she refusing to attend the Bengaluru film festival are incorrect. This statement is being issued for placing the correct facts on record and for quelling any false narratives”.
More about the claims
Rashmika was accused of neglecting the Kannada language. Congress MLA Ravikumar Gowda Ganiga recently expressed strong discontent over Rashmika’s alleged disregard for Kannada cinema and culture, stating that she needs to be “taught a lesson.”
“Rashmika Mandanna, who started her career with the Kannada movie Kirik Party in Karnataka, refused to attend the International Film Festival last year when we invited her. She said, ‘I have my house in Hyderabad, I don’t know where Karnataka is, and I don’t have time. I can’t come’,” Ganiga told media persons at Vidhana Soudha on Monday.
He further accused the actor of ‘disregarding Kannada’ and said, “One of our legislator friends visited her house 10–12 times to invite her, but she refused and even disregarded Kannada, despite growing up in the industry here. Shouldn’t we teach them a lesson?”
Some time back, Rashmika’s statement at Chhaava‘s event had many of her Kannada fans accusing her of ‘disowning’ her roots. The actor hails from Coorg, a region in Karnataka. She made her cinematic debut with the Kannada film Kirik Party alongside Rakshit Shetty.
Rashmika Mandanna’s future work
Rashmika is currently basking in the success of her recent release, Chhaava, which also stars Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, and Vineet Singh. She will next be seen in Sikandar, sharing the screen with Salman Khan. The action drama is directed by AR Murugadoss.