Mumbai– Popular television actress Rashami Desai has publicly criticized actress Urvashi Rautela over her recent comments regarding a temple allegedly named after her, urging her to avoid using religion for personal publicity.
Expressing her disappointment via Instagram Stories, Rashami wrote:
“It’s sad that people don’t even take action against such nonsense. In India, Hinduism is becoming a joke. By the way, she was politically correct when she kept repeating her answer. Representing India and making senseless remarks on purpose… it’s sad. Don’t play games in the name of religion,” she said, punctuating her post with a broken heart and folded hands emoji.
The controversy began when Urvashi reportedly claimed there is a temple named after her—referred to as the “Urvashi Temple”—near Badrinath Dham. She also expressed a wish for a similar temple to be established in South India. Her remarks did not sit well with local priests and devotees, who regard the temple as sacred and have urged authorities to take action against what they consider a hurtful and misleading statement.
In response to the backlash, Urvashi’s team released a clarification, stating:
“Urvashi Rautela said there is a temple in Uttarakhand associated with the name ‘Urvashi’—not ‘Urvashi Rautela.’ People misinterpreted her words, assuming the temple was dedicated to the actress herself. Please listen to the full video before jumping to conclusions.”
The statement further referenced past media reports that labeled Urvashi as “Damdami Mai” at Delhi University, a nickname linked to certain college traditions.
“Yes, at Delhi University, she was referred to as ‘Damdami Mai,’ and that was reported in the media. Legal action should be taken against those distorting her statements,” the team added.
The statement concluded with a call for mutual respect and responsible communication:
“Before making baseless allegations or derogatory comments, it is crucial to verify facts. A respectful and understanding society is key to protecting everyone’s rights.” (Source: IANS)
