'If fans stay united, Kannada Industry will succeed even more': Kranti actress Nimika Ratnakar

In a year that will go down as a milestone phase in the history of Kannada cinema, the recent Hosakote incident involving actor Darshan Thoogudeepa and an alleged Puneeth Rajkumar fan will stick out like a sore thumb. Aside from receiving unanimous condemnation from the Kannada Film Fraternity, the episode also triggered a social media brawl between self-proclaimed Darshan and Puneeth fans which, as expected, did not pan out as the most civilized or pleasant event. 

Referring to this ongoing feud, actress Nimika Ratnakar, who makes a special appearance in the upcoming Darshan starrer Pushpavati, opined that fan wars will only prevent the Kannada Film Industry from progressing. Nimika, in a recent interaction with an online media outlet, said that despite all the skirmishes that happen between fan groups, the superstars concerned always remain on good terms which only contradicts the speculations about their rivalries.

"One does not find any rivalry between actors and this is across film industries. Whoever it is, regardless of their position as stars, there is very little room for animosity among actors. But when it comes to fans, we must understand that this kind of divide between them will not help the industry grow further. And when you have the Kannada Film Industry making noise not just in India but worldwide, one feels that if there is more solidarity among the people it represents, the chances of more projects reaching the global audience increase multifold," said Nimika Ratnakar.

For the unversed, the alleged Puneeth Rajkumar fan attacked Challenging Star Darshan with a slipper during a massive public event in Hosakote. While the actor refrained from making any direct allegations, the entire industry came to his support and condemned the incident. The slipper attack also prompted a police investigation and according to recent reports, three individuals were apprehended as a result.

Nimika Ratnakar, on the other hand, will next be seen as the female lead in the romantic comedy Mr. Bachelor, also starring Darling Krishna. The film releases on January 6.