Bollywood and Telugu actress Urvashi Rautela has issued a clarification following widespread criticism over a recent statement in which she claimed that a temple in Uttarakhand was named after her. Her comments drew flak from social media users and religious leaders alike, with many accusing her of being disrespectful toward religious sentiments.
On Saturday, Urvashi Rautela’s team released an official statement addressing the controversy. The statement aimed to clarify the actress’s comments, which many had misconstrued.
“Urvashi Rautela said that there is a temple in her name in Uttarakhand, not that it is Urvashi Rautela’s temple,” the statement read.
“Now people don’t even listen properly. Just hearing ‘Urvashi’ and ‘temple,’ they assumed people worship Urvashi Rautela. Listen to the video properly and then comment,” the team emphasized.
Further in the statement, the actress highlighted the need for responsible communication and fact-checking, especially by the media and public figures.
“It is essential that before making baseless allegations or derogatory comments against any individual, the facts are thoroughly verified,” the statement said.
“Everyone in society should treat each other with respect and understanding so that everyone’s rights can be protected.”
The controversy began earlier this week during an interview with Siddharth Kannan, where Urvashi said, “There is a temple in my name in Uttarakhand. If one visits Badrinath, there is an ‘Urvashi temple’ right next to it.”
This led to backlash, particularly from local priests and religious groups who felt the actress was trivializing a sacred site.
The temple Urvashi referred to is associated not with her, but with the mythological figure Urvashi and Goddess Sati. According to Hindu legend, this location is one of the 108 Shakti Peethas and is considered deeply sacred. It is believed that part of Goddess Sati’s body fell at the site, marking it as a spiritually important place.
Urvashi Rautela is a popular actress in both Bollywood and Telugu cinema. Though she started her career in Hindi films, she gained significant popularity in the South through special dance numbers in films like Waltair Veerayya, Bro, Skanda, and Daaku Maharaj. Her dance number “Dabidi Dabidi” in Daaku Maharaj attracted controversy for its suggestive choreography.
The 32-year-old actress often makes headlines for her extravagant lifestyle. She claims to be the wealthiest Indian actress, boasting properties in cities like New York, Dubai, and London. With over 72 million followers on Instagram, she is also one of the most followed Indian celebrities on social media.