Indian actress arrested over 'racist' remarks against Telugu community

HYDERABAD: Famous South Indian actress, Kasthuri Shankar, who is also a supporter of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been arrested over alleged racist remarks, as her anticipatory bail petition was dismissed by the court.

According to Indian media reports, Chennai police arrested actress Kasthuri Shankar from Gachibowli area of Hyderabad on Saturday, over her remarks against the Telugu community lineage at a meeting of the Hindu extremist Party, Hindu Makkal Katchi (HMK), in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

She received widespread backlash and a case was registered against her by Madurai Thirunagar police under various sections, including intent to cause riot.

The 50-year-old actress filed an anticipatory bail petition in the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court but it was rejected.

She also issued an apology saying “It was never my intention to hurt or offend my Telugu extended family. I am sorry for any inadvertent ill feeling.”

Madurai bench of the Madras High Court, while dismissing the actor’s anticipatory bail petition, ruled that her statement “hovers around hate speech” and public personalities should think twice before addressing in the public”.

The court ruled that her apology is not genuine and it can’t allow the apology to be used as an escape route after hate speech.

She went into hiding after her bail pleas was rejected but Chennai Police apprehended her during a raid on a house of her friend in Hyderabad, where she was hiding.

She will be brought to Chennai to be produced before the court for physical remand.

Kasthuri Shankar has worked in mainstream movies as well as appeared in South Dravidian Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada Languages films.

She is also a staunched supporter of BJP and had campaigned for the party in Madurai city of India, during the 2024 Indian general elections.