Popular avadhani and literary performer Garikapati Narasimha Rao has fumed at the makers of Pushpa for glorifying smuggler as a hero. He also added that he is ready to debate with the film's lead actor Allu Arjun and director Sukumar regarding the same.

Speaking in a recent interview, Garikapati said, "Nowadays, filmmakers are glorifying rowdies, idiots and smugglers as heroes. In the recent film Pushpa, they have shown the heroics of a smuggler. They show such criminal characters as heroes and defend their decisions by saying that they will a small message in the end or in part 2."

"Do you want the society to get spoiled until you make part 2 or 3? Now, people are saying the word 'Thaggadhe Le' whenever they commit a bad thing. If a small boy beats someone and says, 'Thaggedhe Le', who is responsible for that act?" he questioned the makers.

"I demand the director and the actor to answer me. I'll take their case for sure. Their dialogues are increasing the crime rate in society. People like Rama and Raja Harishchandra should utter the word 'Thaggedhe Le' and not a criminal," he went on to add.

This interview clip of Garikapati is now going viral on social media. While some of the netizens are defending his statements, some of them have opined that there is no need to make a fuss about a movie. We have to see if Allu Arjun or Sukumar responds to it.

Meanwhile, it has to be noted that Garikapati has been awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India recently.