Rashmika Mandanna's Team Clears The Air Amid Controversy, Says The Actor Was Not Invited To Bengaluru Film Festival

Rashmika Mandanna was accused of declining an invitation to attend the International Film Festival & neglecting the Kannada language. A source close to the actress has called the allegations 'baseless'

Rashmika Mandanna was accused of declining an invitation to attend the International Film Festival & neglecting the Kannada language. A source close to the actress has called the allegations 'baseless'

Source : Instagram

After Rashmika Mandanna was accused of declining an invitation to attend the International Film Festival in Karnataka and neglecting the Kannada language, a source close to the actress clarified the allegations calling them 'baseless'. The alleged remarks about 'neglect' were made by Congres MLA Ravikuamr Gowda Ganiga.

The MLA, representing Karnataka’s Mandya constituency, questioned whether she should be taught a lesson for disrespecting the industry where she began her career. Rashmika made her film debut in 2016 with the Kannada hit ‘Kirik Party’, opposite Rakshit Shetty.

Congress MLA slams Rashmika Mandanna

"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.

Ganiga accused Rashmika Mandanna of ignoring and disrespecting Karnataka and the Kannada language, despite her roots in the Kannada film industry. He claimed that the actor was invited multiple times to the Bengaluru International Film Festival but declined each time, citing a lack of time to visit Karnataka.

Rashmika’s team responds

A source close to Rashmika shed light on the alleged remarks and stated, “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.”

“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,” the source added.

Earlier, Rashmika’s comments at Chhaava’s event sparked backlash from her Kannada fans, who accused her of "disowning" her roots. While speaking to the crowd from the stage, Rashmika said, "Because I'm from Hyderabad, and I have come alone, today I hope I am a part of all of your family."