Pawan Kalyan’s ‘Hari Hara Veera Mallu’ sparks controversy over alleged distortion of Bahujan folk hero

Just weeks ahead of its release on July 24, Pawan Kalyan’s upcoming historical action film Hari Hara Veera Mallu (HHVM) has landed in controversy, drawing sharp criticism from members of the Bahujan community, particularly the Mudiraj community, for allegedly distorting the legacy of a revered folk figure.

This is Pawan Kalyan’s first on-screen appearance since he became the Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh

Produced by Mega Surya Productions, HHVM features Kalyan as a vigilante outlaw named Veera Mallu. He is a character that the Mudiraj community claims closely resembles Panduga Sayanna, a 19th-century folk hero known as the “Robin Hood of Telangana.”

At a press conference held at the Hyderabad Press Club, Mudiraj leaders alleged that the film presents a fictional and misleading version of Sayanna’s legacy.

According to the protesters, the narrative of HHVM distorts historical facts by inserting commercially driven and unrelated elements, thereby undermining the identity, history, and sentiments of the Bahujan people.

“Panduga Sayanna was a hero who fought feudal oppression and redistributed wealth to the poor. His story deserves respect, not distortion,” said a community representative at the event.

The community further accused the filmmakers of appropriating Bahujan history without consent and called on other Bahujan groups to unite in protest. They warned that if their demands are not met, they will attempt to block the film’s release across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

So far, Team HHVM has not responded publicly to the allegations.

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