Ranveer Singh in legal soup: FIR filed over mocking of Kantara’s Daiva

Bengaluru’s High Grounds police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh following a complaint alleging that his conduct during a public event hurt religious sentiments and mocked sacred traditions, officials confirmed on Thursday. The matter has now been scheduled for a court hearing on April 8, 2026 , following the FIR registration and judicial referral.

The complaint was lodged by advocate Prashanth Methal (46) , a Bengaluru-based lawyer, after the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACJM) court referred the private complaint for police inquiry. The case has been registered under Sections 196, 299, and 302 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 , which broadly relate to acts that threaten public order and social cohesion, deliberate and malicious conduct intended to outrage religious feelings, and intentional acts that wound religious feelings through words, gestures, or representations respectively.

The incident occurred on November 28, 2025 , during the closing ceremony of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa . The complainant alleges that Singh, while on stage with the lead actor of Kantara: Chapter‑1 , imitated expressions associated with the sacred Daiva tradition in a manner described as crude, comical and derogatory, and referred to the revered Chavundi Daiva as a “female ghost.”

Chavundi Daiva, a guardian spirit worshipped in Bhoota Kola rituals in Coastal Karnataka , holds deep cultural and religious significance for many, particularly among the Tulu‑speaking community . Methal stated in his complaint that the deity symbolizes justice, protection, and divine feminine energy , and that referring to it as a ghost amounted to blasphemy and a serious insult to Hindu religious beliefs and practices .

The complaint notes that Methal, who considers Chavundi Daiva his family deity and has worshipped it since childhood , became aware of the incident only after viewing a video of the performance on social media in early December 2025 . The video circulated widely online after being shared from an Instagram account, and sparked viral discussion and public backlash , including strong reactions from devotees and cultural commentators.

The FIR alleges that Singh’s conduct was deliberate, intentional and malicious , and that staging the act on an international platform could promote enmity, hatred and disharmony among different groups.