Karnataka: Journalist gets death threats from actor Dhruv Sarja’s fans for exposing anti-Brahmin hate shown in ‘Pogaru’ movie

Chiru Bhat (L), Pogaru movie poster (R)

A day after Senior Journalist Chiru Bhat had released a video exposing the derogatory scenes targeting the Brahmin community in the newly released Kannada movie ‘Pogaru’, he has been reportedly receiving threat calls from the alleged fans of the lead actor Dhruv Sarja, warning him about consequences for speaking against the movie.

On Tuesday, Chiru Bhat, a prominent journalist in Karnataka known for speaking extensively on cultural nationalism and issues concerning Hindus, had released a video pointing out the derogatory scenes against Brahmins in the recently released movie ‘Pogaru’, starring Dhruv Sarja. In the video that has gone viral now on the internet, Chiru Bhat had clearly explained how the Brahmin community has been vilified and shown in a poor light by the filmmakers.

Taking a strong objection against the vile depiction of the community, Chiru Bhat had also questioned the growing trend of propagating anti-Hindu narrative through movies in the name of creative liberty. Narrating the scenes in the movie ‘Pogaru’, Bhat had highlighted the crass comments made against Brahmins by the lead actors in the movie.

The video that was released on YouTube became an instant hit, inviting much anger against the filmmakers. Interestingly, not just members belonging to the Brahmin community but others too joined to protests against the filmmaker for objectionable depiction.

In the movie, the lead actress belongs to the Brahmin community. The scenes included one where the protagonist rushes into her house and fights with her relatives. The hero is seen making lewd comments against the Brahmin community and throwing derogatory insults. In of the scenes, the movie’s protagonist is seen keeping his foot on a priest’s shoulder.

The scenes had created a massive controversy in the state, leading to protests by the Brahmin community against the filmmakers for the slanderous depiction of the community. The community members had given a deadline to the makers to edit the scenes until Wednesday.

Fans of the lead actor threatens Chiru Bhat

As the protests gathered momentum in the state following the viral video of Chiru Bhat, the journalist is now being threatened by the so-called fans of the lead actor Dhruv Sarja, who are now abusing and issuing threats to him.

OpIndia has accessed some of those call records in which one individual Shekhar, who claims to be a fan of Dhruv Sarja, was caught abusing Chiru Bhat. In the audio, Shekhar warned Bhat of consequences for releasing a video that criticised the ‘Pogaru’ filmmakers. The journalist has released the audio clip on Twitter, saying he has been receiving continuous threat calls asking him to give live location so that they can come and “do what needs to be done”.

https://twitter.com/mechirubhat/status/1364215943979622418?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Chiru Bhat also shared images of abusive screenshots posted on various social media platforms targeting him. Some of the images shared on Facebook had even threatening texts like, “We’ll come and perform your final rights”.

https://twitter.com/mechirubhat/status/1364220442630705160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Bhat also said that a WhatsApp group has also been specifically created for this purpose, where‌ fans are openly discussing killing him. He has also received voice notes allegedly by Dhruv Sarja’s fans saying, “I tried calling him, he has switched off. Guess he’s in Udupi, I’ll kill & bury him in Malpe beach”.

https://twitter.com/mechirubhat/status/1364416663794327555?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

The journalist, tagging the Bengaluru police, expressed his worry saying that if a journalist like him is facing this just for opposing the hateful anti-Brahmin narratives in the movie, it can be imagined

Pejavara seer condemns the hate against Brahmins depicted in the movie

Shri Vishvaprasanna Teertha Sripada Swamiji, the holy seer of Pejavara Mutt, Udupi, has condemned the deliberate insult to the Brahmin community in the recently released Kannada movie ‘Pogaru’. 

The Pejavara seer has also spoken to the authorities of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, expressing his disapproval and called for the removal of the controversial scenes from the film. The holy seer also stressed that in order to achieve a peaceful society one must not insult or share hate against communities.

Facing the heat, the filmmakers have now agreed to delete certain scenes from the movie. The decision was taken after a meeting with the Karnataka Brahmin Development Board and the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce.

OpIndia Staff: Staff reporter at OpIndia