Karnataka HC Stays Action Against Ranveer Singh in Religious Insult Case

The Karnataka High Court on February 24, 2026, stayed any coercive action against Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh while hearing his petition to quash a first information report filed over allegations that he insulted religious sentiments during a mimicry act at the 56th International Film Festival of India in Goa last November.

The controversy arose from Singh's appearance at the festival's closing ceremony on November 28, 2025, where he praised actor Rishab Shetty's performance in the film Kantara Chapter 1. While imitating a scene involving the possession by a female spirit, Singh referred to the entity as a "female ghost," which some interpreted as a mockery of the sacred Daiva tradition and the deity Guliga Daiva, also linked to Goddess Chamundi in local folklore. Videos of the performance quickly spread on social media, prompting accusations that the actor had disrespected Hindu beliefs central to the film's narrative and Karnataka's cultural heritage.

Advocate Prashanth Methal, a resident of Bengaluru, filed a complaint with the High Grounds police station on December 3, 2025, claiming the remarks wounded the religious feelings of millions of Hindus. When police did not...