Updated On: 21 November, 2025 04:26 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
SS Rajamouli’s remark about not believing in God sparked controversy and even legal complaints, prompting filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma to step forward in his defence

Ram Gopal Varma and SS Rajamouli
Ace filmmaker SS Rajamouli landed in controversy for a statement he made at the Globetrotter event last week. The event was held to announce the title of his film Varanasi starring Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra, and Prithviraj Sukumaran. At the event, in a moment of frustration, Rajamouli said that he does not believe in God. Some people took offense to the statement and even filed a case against the filmmaker. Amid this, director Ram Gopal Varma defended ace director S S Rajamouli's right to say that he does not believe in God, saying Article 25 of the Indian Constitution protects the right not to believe.
Ram Gopal Varma took to his X timeline on Friday to pen his thoughts on the controversy, director Ram Gopal Varma wrote, "In the context of all the venom being spewed by the so-called believers on @ssrajamouli, they should know that being an atheist in India is not a crime. Article 25 of the Constitution protects the right to not believe.So he has every right to say he doesn’t believe as much as the venom spewers right to say they believe."