When OMG 2 was about to release, Akshay Kumar as God triggered a fallout.Critics slammed him for playing Lord Shiva, saying Bollywood is misusing religious figures.
Under pressure, the makers rebranded his character as a “Messenger of God”.The CBFC cut 27 scenes and gave an A certificate to the film, limiting its release.
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The controversy was everywhere social media was flooded with boycott calls, debates and outrage.
But now in Kannappa, Akshay is playing Lord Shiva again. And there’s no noise, no protests, no demands for changes. The silence is deafening.
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In 2023, OMG 2 was in the middle of a major controversy. People were asking if Bollywood had the right to depict religious themes.
Especially with an actor like Akshay Kumar who has been often trolled for choosing films based on trends.
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The censor board always wary of controversy didn’t take any chances. The film was changed, softened and stripped of its original intent all in the name of avoiding backlash.
Even after the changes the film had to live with the tag of being “controversial”.Now cut to 2025. The Kannappa teaser drops and Akshay is seen in a striking, reverent depiction of Lord Shiva.
The setting is grand, the visuals are rich, the portrayal is intense. But the same people who once protested his presence in a divine role have nothing to say.
No debates, no demands for cuts. It’s as if OMG 2 never happened.The difference? This isn’t Bollywood it’s a South Indian film.
The same Akshay Kumar, the same portrayal, but a completely different response.
It’s hard to ignore the double standards at play. Bollywood which is accused of commercializing religious themes faces scrutiny that South Indian films hardly do.
Many say Southern cinema is more traditional so its depiction is acceptable.But does that mean the outrage against OMG 2 was never about the portrayal itself? If playing Lord Shiva was wrong then, why isn’t it now?
Even the censor board’s silence speaks volumes. OMG 2 was chopped and modified to avoid trouble while Kannappa faces no issues. It’s as if the rules change depending on who is making the film.
The contrast between OMG 2 and Kannappa shows Bollywood is a soft target, South Indian films are let off.
The outrage isn’t uniform, nor is it pure. It seems more about the industry than the content itself.
As Kannappa teaser releases without controversy, one wonders was the outrage against OMG 2 ever about Lord Shiva or was it just about it being a Bollywood film?
