Actors Rana Daggubati and Teja Sajja, both known for their work in Telugu cinema, recently courted controversy among Mahesh Babu fans after a video from the IIFA Utsavam went viral. In the video, Rana made a witty comment on the Sankranthi clash between Teja’s Hanuman and Mahesh Babu’s Guntur Karam. This comment did not go down well with Mahesh Babu’s fans, who saw it as an insult to their favorite star.

In the video filmed during the IIFA Utsavam in Dubai, Rana and Teja are seen having a light conversation while hosting the event. Rana, placing his hand on Teja’s shoulder, praises him, saying, “He is still the same, away from controversies, very soft-spoken, the heartthrob of millions, the love boy, the action star, the only one… embarrassed by praise.” Teja interrupts him and asks him to stop, but Rana jokingly says, “I am talking about Mahesh Babu.”

Rana then further says that the journey of both Mahesh and Teja is similar, both have been child actors. “He is a superstar; You are a superhero. Both of you had come on Sankranti,” Rana said. Sensing the sensitive topic, Teja jokingly asked him to stop mentioning the “Sankranti case”. At the end of the video, Rana teases, “Why, is this a sensitive topic?”

Although Teja did not reply in the video, Mahesh Babu’s fans expressed their displeasure over the joke. One fan posted on X, “You got a breakthrough and you’re making fun of a guy who’s been working for 25 years. Unless you bring a sequel to Hanuman, you can’t match Mahesh’s collection.” Another fan asked Teja to apologize and said, ‘Dear @tejasajja123, apologize to superstar @urstrulyMahesh garu and his fans. Is needed. You and Rana make derogatory comments about 2024 Sankranti movies, one of my favorite superstar movie is also out in this Sankranti, you also know, please try to understand this situation. Another wrote, “Dear @tejasajja123 please apologize to the fans of super star Mahesh. Because you and Rana sir have let down his film Guntur Karam.”

However, some users defended the actors and said that such jokes are common in award shows and should not be taken seriously. One user compared the situation to a scene from Mathu Vadalara 2, where fans overreact during an event, urging people to relax.

This year’s Sankranthi saw a huge box-office clash between four films: Hanuman, Guntur Karam, Venkatesh’s Saindhava, and Nagarjuna’s Na Sami Ranga. While many expected films starring big stars to do well, it was Teja’s Hanuman that was a surprise hit, earning Rs 295 crore worldwide.