TRENDING: "DON'T KNOW WHO AR RAHMAN IS!" - NANDAMURI BALAKRISHNA'S 'CONTROVERSIAL' STATEMENT SPARKS TWITTER WAR!

In an interview with a popular Telugu news channel, the veteran Tollywood actor and politician  said, "I don’t know who is Rahman. I don’t care. Once in a decade, he gives a hit and gets an Oscar award.”

Noting that Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, is equal to the "toenail" of his father, late actor-politician NT Rama Rao, he added, "No award can compensate for the contribution of my family to Tollywood. So, only the awards should feel bad, not my family or my father. It is the honour and privilege of people who would offer him the award and not of Sr NTR. He is more than a Bharat Ratna."

He also took a dig at Hollywood filmmaker James Cameron and said, “I like to wrap up my shootings quickly unlike that Hollywood filmmaker James Cameron, who takes years to complete a film. The way I work, I do more hit films in less time."

Soon after his remarks on AR Rahman went viral on social media, it sparked a Twitter war with fans of the Oscar-winning music composer tweeting against the Tollywood star. Fans of Balakrishna too stepped in and defended the actor which started a trend ' #whoisbalakrishna'.

Take a look at some reactions from fans:

Every music composer has his own version of composing the melodies based on the jonour of a movie same way #ARRahman has his own style and fan base #Balakrishna gaaru's words on AR Rahman were so unpleasant and unacceptable. pic.twitter.com/mWervWFkMW

— Hari charan (@charanonT) July 21, 2021

#whoisbalakrishna#balakrishnaSayServiceIsImportant

Balakrishna has not insulted Ar Rahman or anyone else. He has given a life lessons that Service to the people is more important than winning awards

Don't be always judgemental , have some empathy

— Sathya Narayanan Kᴿᵃⁿᵍᵉᴰᵉᴼⁿ²⁶ᵗʰᴹᵃʳᶜʰ (@sathyaMaths2013) July 22, 2021

How can a senior actor like #Balakrishna talk about Indian legend #ARRahman? Will people accept if a similar thing is being spoken by a Tamil actor on #Rajamouli? pic.twitter.com/ILMPDvjsVe

— Troll Cinema ( TC ) (@Troll_Cinema) July 20, 2021

Tamil people are desperately trying to find out #whoisbalakrishna. Well you can actually ask @Suriya_offl who apparently loves balakrishna a lot. Not only him, the response from the crowd will tell you that he is the #LegendaryNandamuriBalakrishna pic.twitter.com/b2o7B0qWb7

— Boyadu unnadu🧘‍♂️ (@MCK_NBK) July 21, 2021