Bekkam Janardhan, a lawyer and author of Sayanna's biography, has accused the filmmakers of misrepresenting Sayanna's legacy without consent.

He claimed that using the name or life story without permission constitutes a copyright violation.

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Janardhan has warned of legal action, including seeking a court injunction to halt the film's release unless the disputed scenes are corrected or removed.

Responding to the allegations, the film's team has issued a clarification. They stated that Hari Hara Veera Mallu is entirely fictional and not based on any real-life figure.

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After director Jyothi Krishna took over from Krish, the story reportedly underwent major changes. The lead character is now portrayed as an incarnation of both Lord Vishnu (Hari) and Lord Shiva (Hara), much like how Ayyappa Swamy is described in Hindu mythology.

The visuals in the film also support this divine connection. The hero is shown with symbols such as the eagle (Garuda, the mount of Vishnu) and the Damarukam (associated with Shiva), highlighting his dual divine nature.

The filmmakers have emphasized that the movie blends mythology with fiction and is not meant to hurt sentiments or misrepresent history.

By officially framing the story as a mythological fantasy, the makers have taken a smart and cautious step to distance themselves from any direct historical references.

This move appears to be a calculated effort to avoid legal troubles and public backlash ahead of release.

However, whether this rebranding will fully shield the film from further controversies remains to be seen.

Produced by AM Ratnam on a massive scale, Hari Hara Veera Mallu features Nidhhi Agerwal as the female lead and music by M. M. Keeravani.

The film is slated for a July 24 release and marks Pawan Kalyan's first full-fledged pan-India project. Despite the tensions, fans are hoping for a successful release and a strong box office run.