Kannada star Nimma Upendra is busy promoting his upcoming Telugu film, Andhra King Taluka. In an interview with ABN, the actor was asked about how Telugu films have been facing issues in Karnataka due to the language row, with promotional material required to be in Kannada. Here’s how he responded.
Nimma Upendra on Telugu poster row
Upendra was asked in the interview about how Telugu films are facing issues in Karnataka, due to the demand that everything there be written in Kannada. “What is wrong with that? If a film is released in Karnataka, they want to watch it in the Kannada language. No, when you’re dubbing a film in all languages, do it in Kannada also. Pushpa collected more than ₹10 crore just for the Kannada version,” said Upendra in response.
According to Sacnilk, Pushpa: The Rise (2021) collected ₹19.69 crore in Karnataka, though it wasn’t released in Kannada. Pushpa 2: The Rule (2024) generated ₹98.4 crore in the state, with ₹7.77 crore earned in the Kannada language.
When the interviewer tried to explain that the issue is not due to dubbing, but rather that even films released in their original language are required to have a poster in Kannada. Upendra denied that and maintained that Kannada people want to watch films in their language, which is all that the issue was. He said, “When releasing a film, you also have to respect the language. There is nothing wrong with that.”
Telugu posters row in Karnataka
In July, tensions flared at a Bengaluru theatre on the release day of actor and Deputy CM of Andhra Pradesh, Pawan Kalyan’s Hari Hara Veera Mallu. A group of Kannada activists stormed the venue, objecting to the lack of Kannada language on the film’s promotional posters and banners put up at the theatre. One of the activists was heard saying, “In this city, Kannada must be included in posters.”
This led to an online debate with Pawan fans demanding a ban on Rishab Shetty’s Kantara Chapter 1, which was released in August. It also led to conversations around how this has not typically happened to Telugu films releasing in Karnataka in the past.
Mahesh Babu Pachigolla’s Andhra King Taluka stars Ram Pothineni, Bhagyashri Borse and Upendra. It will be released in theatres on November 27.
