R. Parthiban applies for no caste, no religion certificate after 'Ustaad Bhagat Singh' row: 'I never felt this broken'

Actor-director R. Parthiban has made headlines after revealing that he has applied for a no-caste, no-religion certificate. This comes after his recent speech at the 'Ustaad Bhagat Singh' event sparked controversy. His comments about caste were widely criticised, following which he issued an apology. He clarified that he spoke those words by mistake and had no wrong intention behind them. However, the issue deeply affected him and pushed him to take a strong personal stand.

Social media backlash affected Parthiban deeply

Parthiban shared that the backlash hurt him more than any loss in his life. Announcing through his YouTube video, he said, “Even after my father’s death or my films facing huge losses, I never felt this broken.” He added that the past few days on social media had a strong impact on him because he respects society and public opinion. He also made it clear that he has never been proud of his caste identity, saying, “I have always disliked caste and never felt proud about my birth.”

Parthiban explains how a slip of tongue led to big controversy

Explaining the incident, Parthiban said he was nervous while speaking in Telugu. He shared, “I am comfortable in Tamil, but I was tense speaking in Telugu in front of important people.” He added that someone backstage mentioned a community name, and that word stayed in his mind. “Instead of saying Telugu, that word came out unknowingly,” he said. He stressed that it was a mistake caused by tension and not his true belief, adding, “If I really believed in caste pride, I would not feel this disturbed.”

Parthiban takes legal steps to remove caste and religion identity

Determined to prove his stand, R. Parthiban said he has taken legal steps to remove caste and religion from his identity. He stated, “Saying I have no caste is my real pride.” He has submitted an affidavit declaring that he does not belong to any caste or religion and will not claim any related benefits. He is now waiting for government approval and hopes to be among the first in the film industry to officially get such a certificate, calling it a meaningful step in his life.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”