A birthday post for actress Imanvi turned into a social media storm around Prabhas’s upcoming film Fauji, directed by Hanu Raghavapudi. The production house, Mythri Movie Makers, posted a simple birthday wish, but what followed was an unexpected wave of controversy.
Within hours, the comments section flooded with allegations claiming that the actress’s real name is Iman Iqbal Esmail and that she is allegedly of Pakistani origin. Some users accused her of changing her name to Imanvi to appear more acceptable to Indian audiences.
Several posts further alleged that her previous social media accounts displayed a Pakistani flag emoji, which has now been removed. A few even claimed she is the daughter of a Pakistan Army officer, though no official confirmation or proof supports these claims.
The online discussion took a political turn when some users accused director Hanu Raghavapudi of advising the actress to alter her identity to avoid backlash. Many questioned how a Pakistani-origin actress could be part of a patriotic Telugu film like Fauji.
Bollywood has faced similar controversies in the past, leading some users to draw comparisons. Supporters of the film, however, urged restraint and asked audiences to wait for official clarification before spreading misinformation.
As of now, neither the actress nor Mythri Movie Makers has issued any statement on the issue. Fauji is slated for a pan-India release in August 2026, and this controversy is likely to grow louder as the film nears completion.
