Overview
- In an ABN interview promoting Andhra King Taluka, Upendra said viewers in Karnataka want films in Kannada and asked producers to include a Kannada dub when dubbing for multiple markets.
- He maintained there is nothing wrong with expecting respect for the local language when releasing films in the state.
- He pointed to the Pushpa franchise’s Karnataka collections, with Sacnilk reporting ₹19.69 crore for Pushpa: The Rise and ₹98.4 crore for Pushpa 2, including ₹7.77 crore from the Kannada version.
- He rejected the framing that the dispute is only about poster language, reiterating that audiences prefer to watch in Kannada.
- The comments follow a July incident in Bengaluru where activists tore Pawan Kalyan’s Hari Hara Veera Mallu posters for lacking Kannada text, prompting online backlash and calls from some fans to ban Kantara Chapter 1.