Director Maruthi Issues Heartfelt Apology to NTR Fans

The first single “Rebel Saab” from The Raja Saab was released yesterday and opened to an overwhelmingly positive response from fans. But even before the celebrations settled, an unexpected controversy surfaced on social media. A section of Jr NTR fans took offense to certain promotional comments made by director Maruthi, leading to negative hashtags and criticism online.

Responding swiftly to the situation, Maruthi issued a heartfelt clarification, saying, “First, I sincerely apologise to every fan. It was never my intention to hurt or disrespect anyone. Sometimes, in the flow of words, things come out differently from what we truly mean, and I regret that it was received in the wrong way or as a comparison.”

He further added, “I have immense respect for NTR garu and for all his fans. I truly value the love you carry for cinema and for your hero. I wanted to clarify this with complete honesty and from the heart, and I hope you understand the situation and the intention behind it.”

The controversy began when Maruthi, while praising Prabhas and discussing The Raja Saab, mentioned that he avoided using certain “collar lifting” moments in the film as he felt they wouldn’t match Prabhas’ larger-than-life persona. Some interpreted this as an indirect comparison to Jr NTR, sparking backlash on social media.

With Maruthi now clarifying his intent and reiterating his respect for NTR and his fans, the team hopes the matter settles down quickly so that the spotlight can return to the hit song and the upcoming promotional campaigns for the film.