At the closing ceremony of IFFI 2025 in Goa, Ranveer Singh ’s attempt to pay tribute to Kantara : A Legend Chapter 1 and its creator-star Rishab Shetty backfired. While reenacting a dramatic scene, he referred to the film’s revered ‘ Daiva ’ as a ‘female ghost’ and mimicked a possession-like performance — a move that immediately drew disapproval. Ranveer even turned to the audience, saying, “Anybody here want to see me in Kantara 3? Tell this guy,” pointing at Rishab Shetty.




Rishab Shetty had requested Ranveer Singh to stop mimicking the Daiva, states a source at IFFI





A source at IFFI told Bangalore Times that Rishab had already asked Ranveer not to recreate the scene. “Ranveer came down from the stage to greet the guests, including Rajinikanth and Rishab. The moment he saw Rishab, he got excited and began mimicking the Daiva, which Rishab asked him to stop — though politely. But Ranveer went back on stage and repeated it. His intention wasn’t wrong, but referring to the Daiva as a ‘female ghost’ and performing the act while wearing shoes shocked many. Rishab stayed calm and chose not to escalate it at such a high-profile event,” says our source.




Kantara filmmakers had earlier urged people not to imitate sacred rituals





Weeks before this incident, during the release of Kantara: A Legend Chapter 1, Hombale Films had urged fans not to imitate Daiva rituals after videos of people dressing up and performing theatrically went viral. The team reminded audiences that Dhaivaradhane is a sacred Tulu tradition anchored in deep spiritual belief — not a costume or performance. They appealed for respect and asked viewers to refrain from treating Daiva portrayals lightly.




Fans call Ranveer’s act ‘insensitive’ & ‘out of line’





What seemed like a playful tribute online was widely seen as culturally insensitive. As clips went viral, many criticised the act, saying it felt “unnecessary and disrespectful.”