What began as a stage performance at a film festival has now turned into a serious legal battle for Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh. On Tuesday, the Karnataka High Court granted him temporary relief in a case linked to his remarks at a public event, but the court made it clear that his celebrity status would not shield him from responsibility.
Justice M Nagaprasanna stopped the police from arresting Ranveer until March 2. However, while granting this protection, the judge strongly criticised the actor’s conduct. The court said that being famous and influential means carrying greater responsibility. It stressed that no one has the right to casually speak about religious figures in a way that could hurt people’s beliefs.
The judge questioned whether an apology could truly undo the impact of words, especially in the digital age where content remains online permanently. The court also noted that freedom of speech does not extend to mocking religious sentiments.
The matter relates to an incident at the International Film Festival of India in Goa last November. During the closing ceremony, Ranveer mimicked actor Rishab Shetty’s Daiva performance from the film Kantara. The performance in the film is inspired by a sacred ritual linked to Goddess Chamundeshwari. The court observed that Rishab had portrayed a deity on screen, and even if Ranveer did not fully understand the religious importance, referring to the character as a “ghost” and copying the act in a humorous manner could hurt sentiments. It was also pointed out that Rishab was present at the event and had tried to stop Ranveer, both during the act and later in person.
Senior Advocate Sajan Poovayy, appearing for Ranveer, argued that the comments were misunderstood and that there was no intention to offend any community.
For now, Ranveer has protection from arrest but must cooperate fully with the investigation. The case has sparked a wider debate about how public figures should handle religious and cultural subjects with care and sensitivity.
