Kannada groups accept Sathyaraj's apology; hurdles for release of Baahubali 2 in Karnataka removed

The confusion over the release of Baahubali 2 in Karnataka has come to an end with Kannada groups accepting Sathyaraj's apology. This paves the way for the release of the multilingual movie next Friday (April 28).

Addressing the media, Vatal Nagaraj, head of the Kannada Vatal Paksha, said that they were never against Baahubali 2 and the issue was only with Sathyaraj. "Now that he has given an apology, we have withdrawn our protests," he said.

Nagaraj warned Sathyaraj to be mindful of his language in the future. "He has to be careful with his words while he talks about Kannadigas else we don't allow any of his films to be released in Karnataka," he said. 

Sathyaraj, on Friday, apologised for his anti-Karnataka comments that he made nine years ago. In a video message, the actor claimed he had no problems with Kannadigas or Karnataka and added that Sathish, his assistant for the last 30 years, is a Kannadiga. 

The actor clearly stated that he made a passionate speech like many others gathered at the meeting in 2008 over the Cauvery River dispute. Sathyaraj further claimed that the film Baahubali 2 should not become a victim of his comments and made a fervent appeal to the protestors.

His statement has been welcomed by his fans and many celebrities, including Kamal Haasan, who tweeted, "Congrats Mr. Sathyaraj for maintaining rationality in a troubled environement. Quoting VirumaaNdi மன்னிப்புக் கேக்கறவன் பெரியமனுசன். Bravo. [sic]" Kamal Haasan tweeted, meaning "Those who seek apology rise in stature."

Coming to Baahubali 2, the second instalment is releasing big worldwide in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi languages. The film stars Prabhas, Anushka Shetty, Rana Daggubati and Tamannaah Bhatia.