Karnataka MLA slams Rashmika Mandanna; accuses her of disregarding Kannada: ‘Shouldn’t we teach a lesson?’

Rashmika Mandanna, who is currently riding high on the success of Chhaava, has been accused of neglecting the Kannada language. Congress MLA Ravikumar Gowda Ganiga recently expressed strong discontent over Rashmika’s alleged disregard for Kannada cinema and culture, stating that she needs to be “taught a lesson.”

(Also Read: Rashmika Mandanna shares health update after sustaining leg injury, apologises to her film directors for delay. See post)

Congress MLA slams Rashmika

“Rashmika Mandanna, who started her career with the Kannada movie Kirik Party in Karnataka, refused to attend the International Film Festival last year when we invited her. She said, ‘I have my house in Hyderabad, I don’t know where Karnataka is, and I don’t have time. I can’t come’,” Ganiga told media persons at Vidhana Soudha on Monday.

He further accused the actor of ‘disregarding Kannada’ and said, “One of our legislator friends visited her house 10–12 times to invite her, but she refused and even disregarded Kannada, despite growing up in the industry here. Shouldn’t we teach them a lesson?”

Earlier, Rashmika‘s statement at Chhaava‘s event had many of her Kannada fans accusing her of ‘disowning’ her roots. While addressing the crowd from the stage, Rashmika said, “Because I’m from Hyderabad, and I have come alone, today I hope I am a part of all of your family.” Her statement disappointed her Kannada fans.

Rashmika hails from Coorg, a region in Karnataka. The actor made her cinematic debut with the Kannada film Kirik Party alongside Rakshit Shetty. However, it was her Telugu films, such as Geetha Govindam, Dear Comrade, and Sarileru Neekevvaru, that brought her fame. With Pushpa: The Rise alongside Allu Arjun, she gained nationwide recognition.

Rashmika Mandanna’s upcoming films

Rashmika is currently basking in the success of her recent release, Chhaava. The historical action drama, which also stars Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Vineet Singh, Divya Dutta, and Ashutosh Rana in key roles, has emerged as India’s highest-grossing film of 2025 so far, collecting over ₹600 crore at the box office worldwide.

She will next be seen in Sikandar, sharing the screen with Salman Khan in the action drama directed by AR Murugadoss and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala. The film is scheduled to release on Eid this year.