Upasana Konidela, wife of actor Ram Charan, has caused the latest stir on social media for posting a photo of her husband visiting a dargah.
The enterpreneur, who is the vice chairman of the Apollo Foundation, posted a photo of Ram, who is currently observing Ayyappa Deeksha, praying at the Kadapa Dargah in Andhra Pradesh.
Upasana's attempt at bridging the two religions was not well-received and many took to the comments section to express their opinions.
"Stop this nonsense Upasana. He is in Ayyappa mala. There are rules to be followed. He made a mistake. Stop chest thumping despite making a grave mistake. This is hurting Ayyappa swami devotees," one wrote, while another netizen commented, "Wearing Ayyappa mala and visiting the death grave is nothing less than a crime."
Upasana was quick to shut down netizens who criticised her husband's decision. To a comment that said religions should not interfere with each other, she simply shared a link to a Times of India article titled "Embracing Harmony: Sabarimala's Unique Tradition of Praying at the Mosque of Vavar".
According to the article, "Vavar mosque stands as the symbol of the harmony between Hindus and Muslims, where devotees of Ayyappa pay their respects before commencing their pilgrimage to Sabarimala. With a rich tapestry of legends, dreams, and cultural offerings, the Vavar Mosque symbolizes an enduring spirit of interfaith unity and shared spirituality."
Ram is currently gearing up for the release of S. Shankar's Game Changers, which is set to release on January 10, 2025. He was last seen in RRR and Acharya, both of which released in 2022. He also made a special appearance in the song Yentamma in Salman Khan-starrer Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan.