During a recent event in Chennai, Karthi was asked about claims that animal fat was used in the laddus at Sri Venkateswara Temple, and his response was not well received by Pawan Kalyan or others.

Andhra Pradesh’s Deputy Chief Minister addressed the issue, stating, “This is a sensitive matter; jokes about the Tirupati Laddu are inappropriate. I respect you as an actor and urge everyone in the film industry to either support this cause or remain silent. Please avoid unnecessary comments.”

In response, Karthi apologized on social media, saying, “Dear @PawanKalyan sir, I sincerely apologize for any misunderstanding. As a devotee of Lord Venkateswara, I cherish our traditions.”

The controversy escalated on September 18 when Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu claimed that animal fat was used in the laddus during the previous government led by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. In response, Jagan’s party, YSRCP, accused Naidu of making “heinous allegations” for political advantage. Nara Lokesh, Andhra Pradesh IT Minister and Naidu’s son, stated that lab reports confirmed the use of beef fat, fish oil, and lard in the laddus.

I am deeply sorry for the comments made by my brother on laddu in the recent audio function and for that I am also going for 3 Days Deeksha for my brother's words @PawanKalyan garu https://t.co/prcd7DrdlD

— Suriya Shivakumar (@Suriya_offt) September 24, 2024