Hyderabad: Ahead of the release of ‘Peddi’, Ram Charan’s fans decided to celebrate their favourite star by installing a massive idol inspired by his look from the film at Arjun Theatre in Hyderabad’s Kukatpally.
However, the tribute soon became the subject of widespread trolling on social media after several users claimed that the statue had little resemblance to the actor.
The idol was unveiled in the presence of Pasupulati Siva, popularly known as Siva Cherry, president of RC Yuvashakthi and a member of Ram’s team.
Soon after pictures and videos of the idol surfaced online, netizens began mocking its appearance.
Several users remarked that it looked more like Malayalam actor Joju George or Telugu actor Naveen Chandra than Ram.
Others joked that the statue resembled Siva himself more than the actor it was meant to portray.
“Super Anna, entaki adhi evari vigraham? (Super brother, by the way, whose idol is that?)” questioned a X (formerly Twitter) user.
“Vallu cheyinchina vigraham Suryavardhan @AlwaysRamCharan di… Kani akkad
a unna vigraham Garudadi @eyrahul (They tried to make Ram Charan’s idol and ended up making Rahul Ramakrishna’s),” wrote another.
Following the criticism, Siva released a statement that read, “It is easy to criticize from a distance, but every fan initiative is driven by genuine love and effort. This event was organized by the local Kukatpally Ram Charan fans. I have come across a few tweets criticizing the celebration, but I believe the focus should be on the emotion and dedication behind it.”
He added, “As the President of RC Yuvashakthi, I attended the event to support the fans and appreciate their passion for Ram Charan Garu. Every celebration is unique, but the emotion and dedication remain the same.”
Fans too issued a public apology over the unexpected controversy.
“We sincerely apologize to everyone. Our intention with the Ram Charan statue was to express our love, admiration, and devotion towards @AlwaysRamCharan in a unique way. Unfortunately, the execution did not meet expectations and turned out to be a misfire,” they wrote.
They added, “We want to make it clear that we never intended to disrespect or hurt the sentiments of Sanatana Dharma or anyone associated with it. If our attempt has caused any discomfort, we deeply regret it.”
Written and directed by Buchi Babu Sana of Uppena-fame and produced by Venkata Satish Kilaru under Vriddhi Cinemas, co-produced by Ishan Saksena under IVY Entertainment, and presented by Mythri Movie Makers and Sukumar Writings, ‘Peddi’ also stars Shiva Rajkumar, Janhvi Kapoor, Jagapathi Babu, Divyenndu and Boman Irani in key roles.
The film is slated to hit theatres on June 4, with premieres starting from June 3.