Vishwak Sen gets emotional as he apologises on behalf of his ‘Laila’ co-star Prudhvi Raj's political remark that sparked boycott trend against the movie

Vishwak Sen’s upcoming film ‘Laila’ has found itself at the centre of controversy following remarks made by actor Prudhvi Raj during its pre-release event on February 9. The statements, which carried political undertones linked to the recent Andhra Pradesh elections, have triggered a backlash, particularly from YSR Congress Party supporters, leading to online calls for a boycott.

Amid growing criticism, Vishwak Sen addressed the controversy, visibly emotional as he distanced himself from Prudhvi’s statements. Clarifying the situation, he explained that the team was unaware of what had been said during the event as they were occupied welcoming chief guest Chiranjeevi.


“Why should I be blamed for someone else’s mistake? We actors have become soft targets. We worked hard on this film, and now over 25,000 posts are calling for its boycott based on something we had no control over. Please support our film,” he stated in a video from the press meet in Hyderabad.

Producer Sahu Garipati also weighed in, urging the public to judge ‘Laila’ as a film rather than associating it with the controversy.

The issue escalated after Prudhvi, who portrays Mekala Satti in ‘Laila’, made an indirect reference to the YSR Congress Party’s performance in the 2024 elections while describing a scene from the film. His mention of "11 goats" was interpreted as a dig at the party’s seat count, sparking outrage on social media, where #BoycottLaila started trending.

‘Laila’ remains on schedule for its theatrical release on February 14. Directed by Ram Narayan, the film features Akanksha Sharma alongside Vishwak Sen.