'Intention was to highlight Rishab's work': Ranveer Singh issues apology for 'Kantara' performance at IFFI 2025

Bollywood livewire Ranveer Singh issued an apology for his 'unnecessary' performance at the closing ceremony of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2025 that sparked controversy.

Ranveer faced heat for mimicking Rishab Shetty’s iconic "Daiva" act from the hit film Kantara Chapter 1 and was schooled for misrepresenting the cultural significance of the scene and for calling the "daivas" as "ghosts."

Today, Ranveer Singh shared a note of apology. It read, "My intention was to highlight Rishab’s incredible performance in the film. Actor to actor, I know how much it would take to perform that particular scene in the way that he did, for which he has my utmost admiration."

He continued, "I have always deeply respected every culture, tradition, and belief in our country. If I've hurt anyone’s sentiments, I sincerely apologize."

For the past couple of days, Ranveer Singh’s name was buzzing on social media as the netizens felt his performance was over dramatic and inauthentic, stirring backlash from netizens who felt he disrespected the deep-rooted traditions represented in the Kantara movie. Describing the 'daivas,' Ranveer referred to them as "ghosts," which was culturally insensitive and factually incorrect.

The controversy further intensified when netizens called for a boycott of his upcoming movie, Dhurandhar. Meanwhile, Ranveer’s apology has been met with mixed reactions. While many of his fans have accepted the apology, others feel that more consideration should have been given to the cultural nuances of the scene he attempted to replicate at the IFFI 2025. However, Rishab Shetty, the star of Kantara and the creator of the "Daiva" act, has not yet commented on the incident.