In a significant legal victory on today, the Karnataka High Court gave Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh a breather by refraining from bringing any coercive action against him in a case where he is reportedly mocking a sacred deity. While the court granted provisional protection, the bench issued a stern reprimand, calling the actor’s prior conduct “reckless” and “grossly ignorant.”
The conflict was the aftermath of an event on 21 November 2025 at the closing ceremony of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa. Though admiring the performance of Rishab Shetty in the film Kantara: Chapter 1, Ranveer Singh made a supposed copy of the sacred Avesham (divine possession) sequence from the Chavundi Daiva and mistakenly dubbed the idol as a "female ghost."
It caused widespread outrage in Coastal Karnataka, resulting in an FIR in the High Grounds Police Station, Bengaluru, under the banner of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for hurting religious sentiments. The judge added that although people may forget about such incidents, the “internet never forgets,” and the digital footprint of such comments remains eternal.
The court noted that even in the absence of malice, the person accused has not done a rudimentary homework on the sacred customs of the area he was celebrating. Singh, as an influential figure, had to be “very, very careful” before impersonating a deity on a public stage, Justice Nagaprasanna said. Sajan Poovayya, the defense counsel, conceded the actor’s comments were “insensitive,” “reckless” but countered that he was paying tribute to the craft of Rishab Shetty and not deliberately mouthing words of insult toward religion.
Singh said he apologized soon after getting involved with the spiritual importance of the Daiva process. There must be “deliberate and malicious intent” for the criminal sections invoked which was, he contended, lacking in this case of "mere carelessness." Under the order of the court, the police are prohibited from making any coercive moves such as arresting Ranveer Singh until the time for the next hearing, held on March 2, 2026.
This relief is provided that the actor cooperates fully in carrying out the ongoing investigation. Through this, it has ordered the State to lodge its objections by the next date, at which point the Court will consider whether the FIR will be quashed or whether the criminal proceedings will proceed.
