Actress Shivani Nagaram, who has recently been gaining attention with back-to-back films, found herself in the middle of a social media controversy after a comment she made during an interview. She earned appreciation for her latest film Hey Balwanth, but it was her remarks about a temple visit that sparked debate online.
During the interview, Shivani mentioned that she had darshan of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala Venkateswara Temple for about 15 minutes. The statement quickly went viral. Many netizens questioned how an ordinary devotee struggles to get even a few seconds of darshan while a celebrity allegedly receives extended time. Some accused celebrities of getting special treatment, while a few even made unnecessary comments about her popularity.
Shivani issued a clarification after facing heavy trolling. She explained that she had purchased a Srivani ticket and followed the standard procedure like other devotees. According to her, she and her mother stood in line at Tirupati Airport in October, bought the tickets themselves, and then proceeded for darshan.
She clarified that she did not mean she stood directly in front of the deity for 15 uninterrupted minutes. Instead, she explained that from the moment devotees enter the queue line until they reach the sanctum, they gradually get glimpses of the deity. She estimated that this overall experience from entering the queue to reaching close to the idol lasted around 15 minutes. She stressed that she did not receive exclusive or uninterrupted time in front of the deity.
Shivani also shared that during a previous visit, when she purchased a Rs. 300 ticket and went with her family, she received only four or five seconds of darshan. After 13 years, being able to see the deity more closely made her emotional, and she expressed that feeling enthusiastically during the interview.
She concluded by saying that any devotee who purchases a Srivani ticket can also have a closer darshan and that her statement was misunderstood.
