​While film buffs in Bengaluru celebrated Kabali’s release on Thursday, ​Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj thinks the Rajinikanth-starrer does not deserve that sort hype as it is a non-Kannada film. 

Nagaraj and his followers protested near Nataraj theatre in Seshadripuram area in Bengaluru where Rajinikanth’s fans were in a frenzy over the release on Friday morning. Nataraj theatre screened the first show at 5 am.  

A News 9 video shows Nagaraj’s burning effigies wrapped in video reels. They also burnt film posters on the road. Nagaraj reportedly questioned the “undue” importance given to Rajinikanth as he doesn't support Karnataka over the Cauvery issue.

Police detained Nagaraj and other protesters around 12:15 pm and released them later.

“They protested against the attention given to a non-Kannada film in Karnataka. They were kept in the station for a little more than an hour," said an official in Seshadripuram police station who declined to be named.