Telugu Community Outraged Over 'Golty' Slur in Parasakthi, Calls for Boycott

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The release of Sudha Kongara's Parasakthi in theaters over the weekend has sparked a controversy in the Telugu community. A leaked censor list revealed that the film, starring Sivakarthikeyan and Sreeleela, contains the word 'golty', a term used by some Tamilians to refer to Telugu speakers or people from Andhra Pradesh in a derogatory manner. The term 'golty' has a negative connotation and is often used as a slur. While some argue that it's simply the Telugu word in reverse, others claim it's used to describe a particular caste in the Telugu community as miserly. The Telugu community is now demanding a ban on the film, with many calling out Sudha Kongara, who is also a Teluguite, for including the word in the film. On social media platforms X and Reddit, users expressed their outrage, with some calling for an apology from the film's team. "It's not art, it's hypocrisy," wrote one user. "Disgusting from the #Parasakthi team!! Calling Telugu People as 'Golti' in Tamil Version twice is Unacceptable," wrote another. However, not everyone is against the film. Some fans pointed out that the censor list doesn't reveal the context in which the word was used, and that the film's director has come from a Telugu-speaking family. Others defended Sivakarthikeyan, stating that he has been well-received in Telugu states. The controversy comes at a time when the film was set to clash with Vijay's final film, Jana Nayagan, which was postponed due to censorship issues. Parasakthi is Sudha Kongara's latest film, following Soorarai Pottru in 2020 and its Hindi remake, Sarfira, in 2024.