Top actors in the Telugu film industry, Pawan Kalyan and Mahesh Babu have come out in support of Jallikattu, the traditional sport (bull-taming festival) of Tamil Nadu, which was banned. In Tamil Nadu, many actors, students and leaders came out onto the streets to protest the ban on their traditional sport, but it is surprising that two superstars of Telugu cinema reacted so strongly.
“Jallikattu is the spirit of Tamil Nadu — bold and fearless. Proud to see such a statement of unity among Tamilians for something that they truly believe in. Especially admire the way the students of Tamil Nadu have been standing up for the cause, relentlessly fighting for their roots and culture. Hope their voices are heard. I support the spirit of Tamil Nadu,” said Mahesh Babu on his Twitter page.
Meanwhile, Pawan Kalyan posted a long message about Jallikattu and also spoke about the ban on cockfights that traditionally happen during Sankranti in Andhra Pradesh. “Ban on Jallikattu and Kodipandem by Govt. Of India is an attack on Dravidian culture and its integrity. This is how it is being viewed in ‘Dakshin Hindustan’,” said the actor, adding that the people are deeply hurt by the ban on these two sports as he has witnessed both cultures from close. The actor questioned the government and even posted a few statistics regarding export of beef since animal cruelty was cited as a reason to ban these two sports. Stating that India is the largest exporter of beef in the world, for which many cows, calves and buffaloes are slaughtered, he questioned why the animal cruelty act didn’t apply to beef exports.
The actor posted some pictures of him planting saplings on his farm. In the background were a few cows, all from his farmhouse. “The calf n cow in the background are from my personal ‘Goshala’ of 16 plus cows n calves (sic),” tweeted Pawan Kalyan.
However, industry insiders say that both these actors are under pressure to speak about Jallikattu. “Many of our top actors release their Telugu films in Tamil Nadu, so they are under pressure, as it may have an effect on their films,” says a source from the industry. It is interesting that no one raised their voice when cockfights got banned in Andhra Pradesh, but they are now showing their concern to their neighbouring state.
