Complainant alleges deliberate insult to religious sentiments

The complainant, Padala Kalyani, also known as Karate Kalyani, a Telugu film actor and BJP leader, submitted the written complaint on April 20, 2026. She said she was filing it in her personal capacity as a "devout Hindu and concerned citizen".

In the complaint, she alleged that Prakash Raj made "derogatory, distorted and malicious remarks" on Lord Shri Ram and the Ramayana during a speech in Kozhikode in January 2026. She cited specific portions of a video clip circulating on social media, particularly between 36:44 minutes and 40:20 minutes.

CM Revanth Reddy Mandates Facial Recognition for Welfare Beneficiaries

Kalyani claimed that in the speech, the actor referred to a theatre initiative named "Nirdiganta", where children allegedly write and perform plays presenting alternate interpretations of the Ramayana. She quoted a line from the speech stating, "That is the Cultural Politics I am doing with my Play."

Allegations on portrayal and remarks in speech

According to the complaint, the actor narrated a version of the Ramayana portraying Lord Ram and Lakshman as migrant workers and Ravana as a landowner. It further alleged that the narration reduced the epic conflict to a dispute over fruits.

The complainant also alleged that a portion of the speech equated the Ramayana with beef-eating, which she said "directly insulted and defiled" the sacred text.

She claimed that the statements were "pre-meditated" and intended to "outrage religious feelings, promote enmity, and indoctrinate young minds".

Reference to other speech and selective engagement claim

The complaint also cited another video in which the actor is seen speaking at a church in Bengaluru. It stated that he referred to Christ and the New Testament, and addressed issues such as inclusivity and righteousness.

The complainant alleged that this reflected "selective engagement" with religious communities and accused the actor of targeting Hindu beliefs.

Request for legal action and probe

Kalyani urged the police to register a case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 196, 299 and 353, along with Section 67 of the Information Technology Act.

She also requested authorities to trace the source and circulation of the video clips, consider blocking the content under Section 69A of the IT Act, and initiate a detailed investigation.

The complaint stated that video evidence, screenshots and timestamps had been preserved and would be submitted to the investigating agency.

Police officials had not issued an immediate response on the complaint at the time of filing this report.