Telangana: Ganesh Idol Sparks Row Allegedly Over 'Muslim-Like' Appearance

The organisers gave a clarification that the theme of the Ganpati pandal was derived from the Bollywood movie "Bajirao Mastani," which led to the confusion.

The controversy began over the outfit of the Ganesh idol, by the Young Leo's Youth Association, which was the actor Ranveer Singh's Bajirao Mastani ensemble. The resemblance, however, was not well-received by certain groups who found the representation inappropriate.

One of the organisers clarified the intent behind the theme and explained that the outcome did not align with their vision.

A member of the organising committee told India Today, "We didn’t deliberately choose a Bajirao Mastani theme. Unfortunately, the way things unfolded led to misunderstandings. Our goal was never to hurt anyone’s feelings."

The confusion was caused by a misunderstanding with the artist who designed the piece, according to the organisers, who were also disappointed by the negative comments on social media.

The Young Leo's Youth Association urged people not to misunderstand them and insisted that the celebrations would continue peacefully despite the commotion.

"We just want to move forward with our celebration of Ganpati Bappa. The execution wasn’t what we expected, but we don’t wish to escalate the situation," the committee member said.