‘You can’t be loose-tongued’: HC tells Ranveer

Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh got interim relief from the Karnataka High Court midweek, with the court directing the police not to take any coercive steps against him in a case linked to allegedly mocking a local deity.

Hearing his petition seeking quashing of an FIR, Justice M Nagaprasanna restrained the Bangalore police from taking action for now. The FIR was registered by the High Grounds police based on a private complaint over remarks allegedly made during a promotional event for the film Durandhar at the IFFI festival in Goa.

On stage, Ranveer allegedly mimicked actor Rishab Shetty in his Kantara avatar, specifically referencing Chamundi daiva in a manner that triggered outrage. The backlash was swift, given the deep cultural and religious significance attached to coastal Karnataka’s folklore and deity worship traditions, themes central to Kantara.

During the hearing, the court did not mince words. “You cannot be loose-tongued at all,” Justice Nagaprasanna orally observed. Senior advocate Sajan Poovayya, appearing for Ranveer, submitted that the actor had made a “completely insensitive, reckless statement” and had immediately tendered an apology for mimicking Chamundi daiva as a female ghost.

Challenging the FIR, Poovayya also argued that the magistrate’s order lacked application of mind. But the bench was clear-eyed about the digital age’s permanence. “I may forget, you may forget, and people may forget. The internet never forgets,” the judge remarked. Counsel for the complainant, meanwhile, described the episode as a “shoot and scoot” attempt.

While underlining that celebrities carry social responsibility and must tread carefully on matters tied to faith and culture, the High Court granted Singh interim protection. The actor has been directed to cooperate fully with the investigation as proceedings continue. For now, there is no immediate legal heat, but the case is far from over.