I Deserve Respect Even If I'm Not Big Actress: Deepika Das Slams Yash's Mom Pushpa

Actress Deepika Das has fired back at Rocking Star Yash's mother, Pushpa, after a video of the latter's comments about her during a recent interview went viral.

Pushpa, who recently turned producer with the film Kothalavadi, lost her cool when asked if she would cast Deepika in one of her productions. For the unversed, she is the maternal aunt of the former Bigg Boss Kannada 7 who shot to fame with Naagini serial.

Deepika, visibly upset by Pushpa's remarks, took to social media to express her disappointment. In the post, she said, "People who nurture new artists should also learn to respect them. Till now, I have not used anyone's name to gain a foothold in film industry. Whether it is Amma or Pushpamma, with due respect to the star of our industry, no one has the right to speak badly about me."

The post written in Kannada further read: "Showing respect to someone should not be mistaken for fear. Even if I am not a big achiever, I still deserve respect. No one can talk to me without respect."

How It All Started?

The controversy began when Pushpa, who backed new talents in her debut movie as producer, was asked in an interview whether she would give Deepika Das a chance in one of her upcoming films. Annoyed by the question, Pushpa shot back, "Why do you always ask about her? There are so many heroines in the industry-Ramya, Rakshita, others. What has Deepika achieved to deserve this special mention?"

The video quickly spread online, fueling speculation of a rift within the family. It is worth noting that Pushpa and Deepika's mother are sisters, which technically makes Yash and Deepika cousins. However, Deepika has never publicly identified herself as Yash's sister, and industry buzz suggests there may be strained ties between the two families.

Yash and Deepika Das, though cousins, have never spoken about each other nor appeared together in public. They have their own struggles and journeys in the film industry and maintain a safe distance from each other.

Pushpa's Next Project

Meanwhile, Pushpa has been vocal about her struggles in releasing Kothalavadi, alleging that the film was denied proper theatre support. She, however, remains determined to continue her journey as a producer. Apart from distributing the Telugu film Ghaati starring Anushka Shetty in Karnataka on September 5, Pushpa has also lined up her second Kannada production with actor Sharan in the lead.

The fiery exchange between Deepika and Pushpa has now become a hot topic in the Kannada industry, with fans and insiders weighing in on whether this is just a family disagreement spilling into the public domain or a deeper conflict that could widen further.