Bollywood actor Kajol found herself at the center of controversy after she referred to Hyderabad’s iconic Ramoji Film City as “haunted” during a promotional interview for her upcoming film Maa. The comment, made during an interview with Galatta India, quickly drew criticism from fans, Hyderabad locals, and others who felt the label was misleading and damaging to the popular film and tourist destination.

In her interview, Kajol discussed sensing negative energies at certain shooting locations, noting, "Sometimes, when you go to a place, you feel like something isn’t right... A prime example is Ramoji Rao Studios in Hyderabad, which is considered one of the most haunted places in the world." While she admitted she never saw anything paranormal, her remarks were enough to spark public outrage.

Days later, Kajol took to social media platform X to address the backlash and clarify her earlier remarks. In her statement, she wrote, “I wish to address my earlier remark about Ramoji Film City in the context of promoting my film Maa. I have filmed multiple projects at Ramoji Film City and stayed there many times over the years. I have always found it to be a very professional environment for filmmaking.”

She added that the studio is not only safe but also a well-loved tourist attraction. “I have seen so many tourists enjoying themselves. It’s a great destination and absolutely safe for families and children,” her statement continued, effectively retracting the suggestion of any supernatural presence.

Kajol’s clarification appears to have eased tensions and restored some goodwill. Ramoji Film City, one of the largest integrated film cities in the world, remains a key part of India's film production infrastructure and a major draw for domestic and international visitors.

The controversy emerged just days before the release of Maa, scheduled to hit theatres on June 27. Directed by Vishal Furia and produced by Ajay Devgn, Jyoti Deshpande, and Kumar Mangat Pathak, the film has gained extra attention following the incident.