Bahujan community raises objection to Pawan Kalyan's Hari Hara Veera Mallu for ‘distortion’; threatens blocking release

Ahead of Krish and Jyothi Krisna's Hari Hara Veera Mallu on July 24, the Bahujan community raised objection to the representation in the film.

Krish and Jyothi Krisna’s Hari Hara Veera Mallu (HHVM) will be the first Pawan Kalyan film to hit screens after he became the Deputy CM of Andhra Pradesh. The film, which will be released July 24, has now run into controversy after Bahujan groups voiced their protests over the titular character. At a press conference, the Mudiraj community accused the makers of misrepresenting the story.

Pawan Kalyan plays a vigilante and outlaw called Veera Mallu in Hari Hara Veera Mallu.

Bahujan groups raise protests against HHVM

Members of the Mudiraj community claim that HHVM distorts the legacy of folk hero Panduga Sayanna, who is known as the Robinhood of Telangana. At a press conference held at the Hyderabad Press Club, the community representatives claimed that the film’s central character closely resembles Sayanna but is shown through a ‘fictional and misleading’ narrative. The folk hero was known for redistributing wealth from feudal lords to the poor.

The protesters argue that the makers have undermined the Bahujans' identity and sentiments. The community leaders accused Mega Surya Productions, the producers, of inserting unrelated and commercially motivated elements to distort facts. They also urged other Bahujan groups to rally in opposition, warning that they will attempt to block the film’s release if their concerns aren’t addressed. Team HHVM has yet to address these concerns.

Upcoming work

In the meantime, HHVM is Pawan’s first film in theatres after becoming the Deputy CM. He was last seen in the 2023 film Bro with his nephew, Sai Durgha Tej. In HHVM, Pawan will play an outlaw named Veera Mallu who fights against the Nizam rule. The trailer hints at a faceoff with Aurangzeb himself, apart from a power play for the Koh-i-Noor. Nidhhi Agerwal and Bobby Deol also star in it.

Pawan also has Sujeeth’s They Call Him OG and Harish Shankar’s Ustaad Bhagat Singh lined up. He said yes to these projects before campaigning during the AP elections and has yet to complete them.