Rana Daggubati, Teja Sajja's joke on Mahesh Babu's Guntur Kaaram leaves fans upset

Rana Daggubati and Teja Sajja's banter at IIFA Utsavam about the Sankranthi clash between HanuMan and Guntur Kaaram upset Mahesh Babu's fans.

In Short

• Rana Daggubati's joke on Teja Sajja sparks controversy with Mahesh Babu fans
• Viral IIFA video shows Rana teasing about Sankranthi film clash
• Fans demand apology from Teja for perceived insult to Mahesh Babu

Actors Rana Daggubati and Teja Sajja, both known for their work in Telugu cinema, recently sparked controversy among Mahesh Babu's fans after a video from IIFA Utsavam went viral. In the video, Rana humorously commented on the Sankranthi clash between Teja's HanuMan and Mahesh Babu's Guntur Kaaram. The remark did not sit well with Mahesh Babu's fans, who saw it as an insult to their favourite star.

The video, filmed during the IIFA Utsavam in Dubai, shows Rana and Teja hosting the event while indulging in a light-hearted conversation. Rana, placing a hand on Teja's shoulder, praises him with words like, “He’s still the same, away from controversies, very soft-spoken, the heartthrob of millions, the lover boy, the action star, the one and only...” Teja, embarrassed by the praise, interrupts him and asks him to stop. But Rana jokingly adds, “I’m talking about Mahesh Babu.”

Rana then continues, saying that both Mahesh and Teja share a similar journey, having both been child actors. “He’s a superstar; you’re a superhero. Both of you came on Sankranthi,” Rana said. Teja, sensing the sensitive topic, playfully asked him to stop mentioning the “Sankranthi matter.” The video ends with Rana teasing, “Why, is it a sensitive topic?”

While Teja did not respond in the video, Mahesh Babu's fans took offence at the banter. One fan posted on X, “You had one success and you're making fun of a man who's been working for 25 years. Unless you come up with a sequel for HanuMan, you can't match Mahesh’s collections.” Another fan asked Teja to apologise, saying, “Dear @tejasajja123, Need apology to superstar @urstrulyMahesh garu and his fans. You and rana degrade comments about 2024 sankranthi films, in this sankranthi one of my beloved superstar film also there you know also, Please try to understand this situation.” Another wrote, “Dear @tejasajja123 plz say apologies to super star mahesh fans. Because you and Rana sir degraded his film Guntur karam (sic).”

However, some users defended the actors, explaining that such jokes are common at award shows and should not be taken seriously. One user compared the situation to a scene from Mathu Vadalara 2, where fans overreact during an event, urging people to relax.

This year's Sankranthi saw a major box-office clash between four films: HanuMan, Guntur Kaaram, Venkatesh's Saindhav, and Nagarjuna's Naa Saami Ranga. While many expected the bigger star films to perform well, it was Teja's HanuMan that became the surprise hit, earning Rs 295 crore worldwide.