Ranveer Singh faces backlash for 'mocking' Rishab Shetty's Kantara scene; calls Daiva a 'female ghost' | Watch

Bollywood star Ranveer Singh has landed in a controversy after a video from the stage of the International Film Festival of India went viral on social media. At the closing ceremony of IFFI 2025 in Goa, the actor who attended the event alongside Kantara Chapter 1 filmmaker and actor Rishab Shetty imitated the film's intense climax scene and referred to the revered Chaundi Daiva as a "female ghost." Though the moment started as appreciation quickly turned into outrage online.

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About the viral moment

At the ceremony, Singh praised Shetty's outstanding performance in the film, saying, "I watched Kantara Chapter 1 in theatres, and Rishab, it was an outstanding performance, especially when the female ghost (Chamundi daiva) enters your body - that shot was amazing."

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Then the actor went on to recreate the climax sequence from the film. He was seen crossing his eyes and sticking out his tongue. This act left Rishab Shetty in splits, and Singh also jokingly asked the audience if they wanted him to work in Kantara 3, urging them to “tell this guy,” pointing at Shetty.

But fans did not take the recreation well.

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Netizens' reactions

Within no time, the video went viral, and social media users slammed Ranveer Singh for allegedly “mocking” the religious sentiments connected to the Daiva tradition of coastal Karnataka.

One user said, "How can actors lack a basic understanding of what should and shouldn’t be said? It is extremely disrespectful that their goddess is being called a ghost." Another fan wrote, "This is so disrespectful. She is not a ghost but a goddess herself." "Ranveer Singh literally mocked Daiva Chaundi possession in Kantara. Zero respect for sacred Tulunad beliefs," read the third comment.

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Fans also called out Rishab Shetty for laughing at the act instead of correcting Ranveer Singh on stage.

About Ranveer Singh's Dhurandhar

Recently, Ranveer Singh has been making headlines for his upcoming film Dhurandhar, starring alongside Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, and R Madhavan. Directed by Aditya Dhar, the film is set to be released on December 5.

About Kantara Chapter 1

The film, directed by and starring Rishab Shetty, is a prequel to the 2022 Kantara. It revolves around the origins of the Daiva tradition and the ancestral issues introduced in the first installment. Kantara Chapter 1 went on to become the highest-grossing movie of 2025 by clinching ₹851.93 crore worldwide.