EXCLUSIVE: Angry Protesters Force Actor Siddharth To Leave Press Conference Of Tamil Movie 'Chiththa'

Actor Siddharth's press conference for his recently released Tamil movie 'Chiththa' was stopped by Kannada group members in Bengaluru on Thursday, September 28. The press conference was being held in Bengaluru which has been at the center of the dispute with Tamil Nadu over the sharing of water from the Cauvery River.

Kannada Rakshna Vedike members forcibly entered the SRV theater in Malleshwaram and demanded the press conference be stopped immediately, criticising the event for not actively supporting the Cauvery water dispute while they believed it was essential to address this issue rather than conducting a promotional event.

However, the actor remained silent in the face of the protests, but he continued in speaking to the press in Kannada. The activists also questioned why the event was scheduled a day before the Karnataka bandh declared by pro-Kannada organisations. Siddharth eventually rose to his feet with folded hands, expressed his gratitude to the mediapersons, and left the event.

Many users have deemed the incident as profoundly shameful and have rallied behind Siddharth in a show of support. Additionally, there are those who have commended the actor for maintaining his composure throughout the episode and gracefully departing the venue.

'Chithha' was released on September 28. Siddharth had dubbed for the Kannada version 'Chikku' himself. Siddharth himself has bankrolled the project under Etaki Entertainment.The film will lock horns with Chandramukhi 2 and Iraivan.

For the unversed, a statewide shutdown or 'Karnataka bandh' has been called by the 'Kannada Okkuta,' an umbrella organization representing various Kannada groups. This move is spearheaded by Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj, and it's in response to the Cauvery water release issue. The bandh is scheduled to last for 12 hours, running from 6 am to 6 pm.

On Tuesday, the Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC) issued a recommendation to the Karnataka government, advising them to release 3,000 cusecs (cubic feet per second) of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu for a period of 18 days starting from September 28.

Siddharth is a Tamil-speaking actor who has worked in both Tamil and Telugu films. He is known for his outspokenness on social and political issues.

Chithha is a 2023 Tamil-language drama film written and directed by S. U. Arun Kumar. The film stars Siddharth and Nimisha Sajayan.

The title Chithha is a short word for Chithhappa, which stands for a paternal uncle who is younger than one's father (father's younger brother). The film follows the emotional connection and affection of Chithhappa.