Pawan Kalyan's Hari Hara Veera Mallu faces backlash from Bahujan community for ‘distorting legacy' of Telangana folk hero; protestors threaten to stop release

Indian Express

07-07-2025

Telugu star Pawan Kalyan's much-delayed Hari Hara Veera Mallu: Part 1 has found itself embroiled in controversy just days after the arrival of its trailer and merely three weeks before its scheduled release. One of the most anticipated Telugu films of the year, Hari Hara Veera Mallu, has come under fire from a Bahujan community for allegedly distorting the legacy of one of their revered heroes.
Claiming that the film's central character, Veera Mallu, played by Pawan Kalyan, closely resembles folk hero Panduga Sayanna, members of the Mudiraj community alleged that the character has been depicted through a fictional and misleading narrative. According to reports, Panduga Sayanna was a champion of the poor who fought against the feudal systems and the oppressive rule of Deshmukhs, Patels and Zamindars during the Nizam era in the 19th century.
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Speaking to the media in Hyderabad, representatives of the Mudiraj community slammed Mega Surya Production, the studio backing Hari Hara Veera Mallu, for allegedly distorting historical facts by incorporating unrelated elements for commercialising the narrative. Calling on other Bahujan communities to join them in opposing what they see as an attempt to tarnish Panduga Sayanna's legacy, the protestors also warned that they may take steps to obstruct the film's release if their concerns remain unaddressed.
As of now, neither producer A Dayakar Rao of Mega Surya Production nor the film's directors Krish Jagarlamudi and AM Jyothi Krishna have responded to the controversy. Pawan Kalyan, who also serves as the Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and is the founding president of the Jana Sena Party (JSP), too has yet to comment on the matter.
Having been in the making for a long time, Hari Hara Veera Mallu's release has been postponed multiple times since 2022 due to production delays, particularly stemming from Pawan Kalyan's political commitments. After being deferred several times, the film is now slated for release on July 24. Also starring Nidhhi Agerwal, Bobby Deol, Nargis Fakhri, Nora Fatehi and Sathyaraj in key roles, the movie features music by Oscar-winning composer MM Keeravaani, cinematography by Manoj Paramahamsa and Gnana Shekar VS, editing by KL Praveen, and production design by Thota Tharrani.