Ranveer Singh fans defend him against Rishab Shetty's criticism: 'If Daiva was angry, why did they make Dhurandhar hit?'

Fans of Ranveer Singh are not happy with Rishab Shetty raking up the actor's mimicry of his Kantara Chapter One climax last month in a new statement.

Just prior to the release of his new film, Dhurandhar, Ranveer Singh graced the stage at the closing ceremony of the 2025 edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI 2025). The actor’s attempts to pay tribute to Rishab Shetty’s performance in Kantara Chapter One on stage landed him in hot soup with widespread criticism of his mimicry. Even as Ranveer apologised for the mistake, Rishab later called him out in an interview, an act that has not gone down too well with Ranveer’s fans.

What Rishab Shetty said

Ranveer Singh imitated Rishab Shetty's Kantara Chapter 1 climax scene at IFFI 2025.

In a recent appearance in Chennai, Rishabh addressed the controversy and said anybody making fun of the Daivas makes him uncomfortable. “While much of the film is cinema and performance, the daiva element is sensitive and sacred. Wherever I go, I request people not to perform it on stage or mock it. It is emotionally deeply connected to us,” the actor-director said. Rishabh’s Kantara and Kantara Chapter One introduced the coastal Karnataka deities to the mainstream across India.

Ranveer Singh fans defend him

However, many online felt his recent statement was an unnecessary attempt to drag Ranveer again, even as he had apologised for what they called a ‘misguided and ill-judged’ tribute.

Sharing a news clipping of Rishab’s statement, one fan quipped, “If Daiva was angry about Ranveer Singh mimicking it, why did it make #Dhurandhar a huge hit?” Dhurandhar has made ₹600 crore worldwide in just 11 days, setting new Bollywood box office records for second weekend collections.

One comment read, “Nobody gave Rishab Shetty a special authority to mimic Daivanarthaka.” Another dragged Dhurandhar and Kantara's box office rivalry into the mix and claimed, “He is mad because Dhurandhar might break Kantara Chapter 1's record. Ranveer never mocked anyone.”

What was the controversy

At IFFI Goa two weeks ago, Ranveer courted controversy when he mimicked the Daivas on stage even as Rishab urged him not to. After the backlash, Ranveer issued an apology. “My intention was to highlight Rishabh'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. I have always deeply respected every culture, tradition and belief in our country. If I've hurt anyone's sentiments, I sincerely apologise,” he wrote on Instagram.

Since then, Ranveer has enjoyed good fortune with Dhurandhar emerging as a massive win at the box office. The film, directed by Aditya Dhar, also stars Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, and R Madhavan. A sequel, which concludes the story, will release in March 2026.