Is Prajwal Devaraj Upset with Raj B Shetty? Su from So Actor Breaks Silence On Karavali Row Controversy

The promotional campaign for Kannada film Karavali ran into controversy on Tuesday after a group of actor Prajwal Devaraj's fans staged a protest at the venue of the film's promotional event in Bengaluru, alleging that the actor had been sidelined following the inclusion of Raj B Shetty in the project.

The fans expressed their displeasure over Prajwal's absence from the event and claimed that his voice was missing from the recently released trailer. They also alleged that the actor's role had been overshadowed after Raj B Shetty came on board.

Addressing the media, the makers denied sidelining Prajwal and said the actor had been invited to attend the event but did not turn up. They also claimed that while Prajwal had been paid ₹1 crore for the film, an amount of ₹25 lakh is still pending.

The controversy soon shifted to Raj B Shetty, who was asked by reporters whether his presence in the film had created differences between him and Prajwal.

Rejecting the suggestion, Raj B Shetty said he was only playing a cameo and was never brought in as a replacement for anyone.

"I knew Prajwal Devaraj was the lead in this film. Bigger actors than me were initially considered for this role, and I got the offer only after several others declined. This character was always part of the script. I am not competing with anyone," he said.

The actor-filmmaker said cinema should always take precedence over individual egos and expressed disappointment that the discussion had shifted away from the film itself.

"I am a technician before anything else. Cinema is much bigger than me. Whether my name is on the poster or not, audiences don't come to theatres because of that. It's unfortunate that we are talking about this instead of appreciating the effort behind the film," he said.

Raj B Shetty added that if Prajwal was genuinely upset, the matter should be resolved through a conversation rather than public speculation.

"If he is angry, people should sit with him and speak respectfully. Humanity is more important," he remarked.

He also questioned the narrative that he had overshadowed Prajwal, pointing out that several actors had contributed significantly to the film.

"Mitra has played an important role too. Is my name bigger than his? Is his name on the poster? This mindset is one of the reasons our industry struggles to grow. We don't believe enough in collaboration," he said.

The actor further stressed that he would be happy if Karavali became a landmark film for Prajwal Devaraj.

"I'll be happy if Prajwal gets a bigger name because of this project. I've played villains before and never asked for cut-outs or special treatment. Even for my earlier films, I never demanded that my name be highlighted. If I ever start doing that, it will be my last day in the film industry," he said.

Speaking about Karavali, Raj B Shetty described it as a technically ambitious Kannada film rooted in the culture and stories of the coastal region. He praised the director and technical team for repeatedly refining the film's sound, background score and overall presentation to achieve the best possible quality.

He said the makers were not chasing the "pan-India" tag and believed that a good film would naturally find audiences beyond Karnataka.

"If the film has quality, it will travel on its own, just like Kantara did. That's the best way for a Kannada film to reach a wider audience," he said.

Raj B Shetty added that Karavali had been a challenging film to make, involving extensive technical work and difficult shoots, including sequences featuring animals. Calling it "an authentic Kannada film", he said he would continue to support such ambitious filmmaking efforts irrespective of the controversy surrounding it.