filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma opens up about rumours surrounding his alleged arrest and the legal cases filed against him. Recently, there were reports suggesting that Varma was either missing or in hiding as police searched for him. These rumors followed the filing of eight complaints against the director for allegedly making derogatory remarks about Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, IT Minister Nara Lokesh and others through memes and social media posts.
The controversy stems from social media posts Varma shared over a year ago while promoting his film Vyuham. These posts reportedly mocked CM Naidu, his son Nara Lokesh, and actor-turned-politician Pawan Kalyan, leading to a recent complaint by Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Ramalingam. The police issued a notice to Varma on November 13, asking him to cooperate with the investigation.
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In response to the claims, Varma took to social media to deny any arrest attempts. He tweeted, “One other thing which might shock you is the fact that the police dint even enter my office so far , nor did they say that they came to arrest me to neither to my people nor to the media .. If they intended to arrest me why wouldn’t they come into my den office ???”
During an interview with BIG TV Live, Varma showed the memes that sparked the controversy and explained their context. He stated, “These are caricatures or cartoons created using modern technology, which appear online 15–20 times a day. I shared them not just about politicians but about other topics too.”
Addressing the complaints, Varma emphasized his right to free speech: “Freedom of expression is protected under the law. As a common citizen, I believe I have the right to express my opinion. This applies to everyone in the country, not just me and I’ve just used that on expressing my opinions or thoughts.”
MY TAKE ON MY CASE—RGV@ndtv @IndiaToday @TimesNow @republic @TV9Telugu @NtvTeluguLive @sakshinews @tv5newsnow @BBCWorld @DDNewslive @ZeeNews
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) November 28, 2024
1.
Sorry to disappoint all those people who got hugely entertained by my so called absconding and the police teams trying to hunt me…
Varma further clarified that the posts in question were shared over a year ago, raising doubts about why complaints were filed only recently. “The case against me is about social media posts that are over a year old. It’s strange that someone filed a complaint just now, claiming their sentiments were hurt,” he said.
Ram Gopal Varma opens the debate on freedom of speech, asserting his right to share opinions as a citizen. He remains firm in defending his actions and dismisses the rumors of his arrest as baseless.
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