Actor-director Raghava Lawrence has been making headlines ever since hinted at his political entry. Although fans speculate the actor will join Vijay's TVK, the Kanchana actor is yet to officially confirm which party he is set to become a part of.
Meanwhile, a statement he made during Sunday's press meet sparked widespread criticism online, landing the actor in a controversy. The actor addressed the press and his fans in front of his Raghavendra shrine on Sunday.
At the press meet, Lawrence was asked about the performance of the ruling TVK government, to which he said that he was impressed by their governance. He then agreed that some issues are persistent, as they're new to governance. While giving an example to explain the same, he brought in the analogy of a stray dog.
Lawrence said, "When we move into a new house, it will take time to get accustomed to everything there. Even a stray dog in the area will bark at us. We have to buy either biscuits or sometimes even biriyani to ensure the dog gets familiar with us." Following this comment, many online criticised the actor for calling common people stray dogs barking at the government.
On Sunday night, Raghava Lawrence took to X to issue a clarification. He wrote, "I would like to clarify a misunderstanding regarding my recent press meeting. I have always said that my fans and the people are equal to my mother. Some are spreading false news that I referred to people as dogs, which is completely untrue and misleading."
Explaining what his statement meant, he continued, "All I meant was that when we move into a new house, it takes time to understand the surroundings and even the dogs in the area, their habits, and what they like to eat. I’m not such a heartless person as to call people dogs, whom I respect deeply and regard as equal to my mother."
He concluded his note by asking the public to watch his video in its entirety before criticising him. "I was only talking about understanding a new environment takes time to get used to and did not refer to people anywhere. I request everyone to watch the full video and understand what I actually meant."
The actor did not mention which political party he would be joining and said he'd share that soon. However, speculations are rife that he would join hands with CM Vijay's ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and contest in the Trichy East constituency that was won by Vijay during the recent assembly elections. He contested in Perambur as well as Trichy but had to resign from the latter in the days leading up to his oath-taking ceremony.
On the work front, Raghava Lawrence is currently working on Benz, an action film, directed by Bakkiyaraj Kannan. He also has Kanchana 4, the fifth instalment in the Kanchana horror film series. Besides starring in the film's lead role and producing it, Raghava Lawrence is also directing it from his own screenplay.