(Image source from: Asianet News)

Filmmaker SS Rajamouli is facing criticism for his contentious statement regarding atheism. On Saturday, November 15, the renowned director participated in the Globetrotter event at the Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad to showcase the first look of his movie Varanasi. The film stars Priyanka Chopra and Mahesh Babu in the main roles. While speaking to the audience at the event, SS Rajamouli acknowledged that he does not have faith in God. Much of his notable work, including RRR and Baahubali, drew significant inspiration from Hindu legends. SS Rajamouli expressed, "This is a heartfelt moment for me. I do not believe in God. My father came to me and said that Lord Hanuman is supporting me and guiding my path. Is this how he cares for me – thinking about this makes me upset. My spouse also admires Lord Hanuman. She acts as if he is her companion and talks to him. I got upset with her too."

SS Rajamouli's comments were not well-received by some people online, who criticized the director on X. One person expressed, "I’m really let down by SS Rajamouli's comments about Lord Hanuman. He might be an atheist, but making such statements about God is totally inappropriate." Another wrote, "Many felt the same way after SS Rajamouli’s speech. The mention of Hanuman seemed unnecessary, especially coming from you." A harsh comment stated, "Just imagine the backlash if someone from Bollywood had said this: Blaming Lord Hanuman and claiming he is an atheist that does not believe in God. But it’s interesting how God is useful when it comes to money.” Another remark was, "He claims he does not believe in God and identifies as an atheist. However, he continues to make films about God for profit. If he is an atheist, he ought to stop making films tied to God and focus on other themes." One individual noted, "Rajamouli should have directed his anger towards his technical team and event organizers instead of making disparaging remarks about his father's and wife’s religious beliefs. Particularly when he aims to profit from those same beliefs."

“Identifying as an atheist is acceptable because atheism is also acknowledged in Hinduism. However, he cannot criticize Hanuman and speak carelessly just because of his team’s poor performance and planning,” remarked another person. The grand launch event of Varanasi was disrupted by a technical issue and a leak of the teaser, which upset SS Rajamouli.