South Indian actor Kalpika Ganesh became the subject of controversy after a video of an altercation at a Hyderabad pub, Odeum by Prism, went viral on social media.
The actor, who was celebrating her birthday, posted a video to Instagram capturing the dispute with the pub staff. But soon after, public opinion poured and many accused her of being a “Karen” who was asking for a “free cake.”
In a subsequent Instagram Stories post, Kalpika presented her side of the story.
Kalpika said she was with a physically challenged friend and claimed pub staff were rude and verbally abusive toward them after they asked for an acknowledgement for a birthday. It became more tense after the crew “threw a brownie like trash” on the table, she said.
Kalpika claimed that she was locked inside the pub for about 30 minutes and verbally abused by a bunch of 20-odd people and that the Gachibowli police went on to treat her as a criminal when she approached them for help.
“It was never a cake issue,” she wrote. “Mostly, it was about the way we didn’t get treated with any kind of dignity and respect.”
Viral Video and Online Response
A small clip of the altercation from the incident, shared on her feed, has Kalpika exchange, “Sabka izzat nikalke rakhungi” (I’ll strip you all of your dignity) as the staff allegedly would not let her leave without paying the bill.
The video concludes with Kalpika crumpling the bill and hurling it, alleging that the pub was mismanaged.
Watch the video here:
Her denials aside, the backlash was swift and intense. She received a service for free and threw a tantrum in return for a freebie, which was a common sentiment. Comments were all over the map, from sarcastic jabs — “If a free missing cake screwed up your birthday then maybe you’re the problem, not the pub” — to accusations that she was only seeking attention through paid video access on her Instagram.
“Businesses aren’t charities,” one commenter wrote. “If you want more freebies for your birthday, you don’t get to play entitled,” read one commenting, and another,” If you were being honest, you would’ve released the whole thing for free instead of hiding it behind a subscription.”
More Allegations Surface
A longer 40-minute video of the incident does exist and is available to Kalpika’s paid subscribers, local media outlet RTV reported.
The mag also alleged the staff at the pub abused her and called her a 'druggist'.
Kalpika allegedly refused to clear the bill till the management apologized to her for their behaviour.
Investigation Underway
The police have lodged a case and are currently conducting an investigation. The incident also sparked a broader online discussion about customer entitlement, hospitality industry etiquette, and the role of influencers in disputes with businesses.
On the Work Front
Kalpika Ganesh was last seen in films such as Yashoda, 8 AM Metro, and Atharva. But even though her acting has been receiving great reviews, the controversy has placed her under close public scrutiny.
As details about the investigation continue to emerge, this encounter serves as a sobering example of how personal discord can escalate into public controversy in the era of social media.
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