In a shocking turn of events during the promotional tour for the upcoming Kannada film ‘Korigajja’, veteran actor Kabir Bedi has publicly condemned what he calls a ‘humiliating’ incident in Kochi. The film’s team accuses Mammootty’s crew of deliberately scheduling their Malayalam movie ‘Chathapach’ press conference at the exact same time, forcing ‘Korigajja’s event to be abruptly canceled.
‘Korigajja’ is a pan-Indian Kannada epic centered on the legendary folk deity of Karnataka’s Tulu Nadu region. Kabir Bedi plays a pivotal role, bringing his international stature to the project. The team had meticulously planned the Kochi press meet a full week in advance, inviting media houses across the board. Bedi and leading lady Bhavya flew in specifically for the occasion, only to face chaos when Mammootty’s team announced their event just a day prior.
According to the ‘Korigajja’ promoters, this clash was no coincidence. In a city like Kochi, where journalists often double up on multiple beats, overlapping major events goes against industry norms. PR teams typically coordinate to avoid such conflicts. Yet, late into the night, the ‘Korigajja’ PR received a call demanding they postpone, citing a media crunch due to Mammootty’s star power.
Millions had already been spent on logistics, but Mammootty’s influence proved insurmountable. The press meet was scrapped, replaced by a hurried, limited-media huddle at 5 PM. The damage to promotion was immense, say director Sudheer Attavar and producer Trivikram Saplaya, who labeled the episode unacceptable and damaging to Malayalam cinema’s reputation.
Saplaya highlighted the tour’s successes elsewhere, like Mangaluru where over 100 journalists turned up. Despite featuring Malayalam technicians and singers, ‘Korigajja’ faced this hurdle in Kochi. ‘Kannada audiences support Malayalam films in Bengaluru with open arms,’ he noted, questioning the reciprocity and warning of brewing language-based tensions.
Kabir Bedi, a self-professed fan of Malayalam cinema—which has clinched 25% of India’s National Awards—expressed deep disappointment. ‘I came out of respect,’ he said. ‘This is unfortunate. Perhaps Mammootty wasn’t informed, but disrupting a confirmed event without coordination is wrong.’ Bhavya echoed his sentiments, decrying the disrespect to a global icon like Bedi.
As ‘Korigajja’ gears up for release, this controversy underscores the cutthroat realities of Indian film promotions, where star egos can derail even the best-laid plans.