Ustaad Bhagat Singh Villain R. Parthiban Faces Backlash, Apologises for Caste Mention

Published on Mar 18, 2026 9:00 AM IST

Ustaad Bhagat Singh Villain R. Parthiban Faces Backlash, Apologises for Caste Mention

Published on Mar 18, 2026 9:00 AM IST

ustaad-bhagat-singh

Ustaad Bhagat Singh is just a day away from its grand global theatrical release. Pawan Kalyan headlines this Harish Shankar directorial, with Sreeleela and Raashii Khanna as the female leads.

The film’s villain, Radhakrishnan Parthiban, a prominent Tamil actor and director, has apologised for his comments during the pre-release event of Ustaad Bhagat Singh. During his speech, he introduced himself and mentioned that he is a “Naidu abbai,” referring to a caste identity.

Many felt that mentioning this on stage was inappropriate, and several criticised him for such an introduction.

Following a series of negative reactions, Parthiban took to social media and stated that he had no hidden intention or profit motive. “It just slipped out… In all these years of experience, this is the first time I have mentioned a caste name while speaking,” he said.

He expressed deep regret, apologised to those who were hurt, and assured that he would not repeat such a mistake.

On the professional front, he also has Meendum Pudhiya Paadhai, David Reddy, and Dhruva Natchathiram in the pipeline. Stay tuned for more updates.