Producer Sreenivasa Kumar responds to criticism for his remark about Telugu-speaking actresses: 'Supporting Telugu talent has always been my priority'

Producer Sreenivasa Kumar, widely known as SKN, has landed in controversy after remarks he made at the pre-release event of the film 'Dragon' in Hyderabad. His comments regarding non-Telugu-speaking heroines sparked an online debate, prompting him to issue a clarification.

At the event, while welcoming actress Kayadu Lohar, SKN stated, “Welcome to Telugu. We encourage non-Telugu-speaking heroines rather than Telugu-speaking heroines.” He further added that he had learnt what happens when they encourage Telugu-speaking girls as heroines. He shared that he and director Sai Rajesh decided to support only non-Telugu-speaking heroines for this reason.


The statement quickly gained widespread discussion on social media, with many speculating that SKN was indirectly referring to actor Vaishnavi Chaitanya, the lead of his highly successful film Baby, directed by Sai Rajesh. The mention of the director in his speech fuelled further speculation. The video clip of SKN’s comments spread widely, and netizens started questioning his intent.

In response to the backlash, SKN took to social media to clarify his stance. Retweeting a post that pointed out his past collaborations with Telugu-speaking actresses, he remarked in Telugu, “Ha ha ha, these days people are more interested in controversy than entertainment. What to do?”

Additionally, SKN released a video statement to further address the issue. In the video, he expressed disappointment over the misinterpretation of his words, saying, “I am proud to be one of the few producers who have introduced many talented Telugu actresses to the industry. A lighthearted comment I made recently was misunderstood, leading to unnecessary headlines with incorrect interpretations. To clarify, I have introduced eight talented individuals to the industry and am set to introduce 25 more talented Telugu girls across various fields in cinema through my upcoming films. Supporting and promoting Telugu talent has always been my priority, so I request that you do not spread misinformation.”

Dragon, directed by Ashwath Marimuthu, is a Tamil coming-of-age comedy-drama featuring Pradeep Ranganathan, Anupama Parameswaran, and Kayadu Lohar, along with Gautham Vasudev Menon, KS Ravikumar, and George Maryan in key roles. The film is set for a theatrical release on February 21.