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A post shared by Bhansali Productions (@bhansaliproductions)

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A post shared by Bhansali Productions (@bhansaliproductions)

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When Donald Trump mused online about either striking a deal with Iran or quickly annihilating it, the diplomatic response was entirely unexpected. The Embassy of Iran in Zimbabwe chose to reply not with a traditional statement, but with a high-octane clip from Indian action cinema.

Trump talks about annihilating Iran.

But he knows Iran is not defenseless.

Since we informed they have recently been watching Bollywood instead of Hollywood. pic.twitter.com/v6Le8zkH5X

— Iran Embassy in Zimbabwe (@IRANinZIMBABWE) September 23, 2026

The embassy shared a tense sequence from the blockbuster Telugu film Bhagavanth Kesari on X. In the scene, the heroic protagonist, played by Nandamuri Balakrishna, single-handedly fends off a hail of bullets from hostile forces before delivering a signature punch dialogue. In its accompanying text, the embassy claimed that Iranian officials had recently shifted their viewing habits from Hollywood to Indian cinema. They added that Trump ought to know that Iran is far from defenceless. While the post mistakenly tagged the Telugu film as a Bollywood project, the cultural reference struck a chord across social media.

Surreal collab

Online users reacted with delight and irony at the surreal geopolitical crossover. Comments like “Tollywood was not prepared for this collab” and “Balayya goes global” flooded the platform. Indian cinema fans were surprised to see a mass action hero, who also happens to be a legislator from the state of Andhra Pradesh, cited as a metaphor for defence capabilities. Balakrishna is known for his high-voltage punchlines and swagger in action-heavy titles such as Legend, Simha, Akhanda, and Daaku Maharaj.

Other movie references by the Embassy’s handle

This incident is not an isolated experiment for the Iranian Embassy’s social media team. The account has frequently deployed pop-culture tropes to deliver political commentary. In recent months, they compared international figures to Marvel villains Thanos and Ebony Maw, posted about tactical reality using Hollywood tropes, and framed diplomatic tensions through references to Gladiator.

Meanwhile, Balakrishna is acting in Dada, a mass-action entertainer co-starring Manchu Manoj and Kajal Aggarwal. The film is slated for a Christmas 2026 release.

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Modha Rathri may begin with the awkwardness and chaos of an arranged marriage gone wrong, but beneath its rural humour is a story about two strangers grappling with circumstances neither of them expected. For debutant director Raja Karuppasamy, however, the emotional journey of making the film appears to have extended well beyond what audiences eventually saw on screen.

Starring Rishikanth and Anishma Anilkumar in the lead roles, Modha Rathri arrived in theatres on August 21 and subsequently premiered on Netflix on September 18. The film has continued to find an audience on OTT, with appreciation from prominent names including Dhanush, Silambarasan and Kamal Haasan adding to the attention around the film.

Karuppasamy has now offered a glimpse into the more personal side of the production, particularly the experience of filming the climax with Anishma. In a lengthy Instagram note, the filmmaker recalled how emotionally exhausting the sequence proved to be for both of them, revealing that they were left in tears after the cameras stopped rolling.

“Should I say Thank You or should I say Sorry?” Karuppasamy began, admitting that neither phrase seemed adequate to convey what Anishma had brought to the film. He specifically mentioned her dance, the final scream and the emotional release that follows the climax, noting that what may appear to audiences as individual moments were considerably more intense for the people who lived through their creation.

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A post shared by Raja Karuppasamy (@raja_karuppasamy)

‘We didn’t even know whether you had to console me’

The director’s most striking recollection concerned what happened immediately after the climax was filmed. “I still remember after the climax, both of us were crying… We didn’t even know whether you had to console me or I had to console you,” he wrote.

For Karuppasamy, the moment became a reflection of Anishma’s commitment to Muthuselvi, the character she portrays in Modha Rathri. He praised the actor for immersing herself so completely in the role that the emotional demands of the sequence appeared to spill over even after the scene had been completed.

His note also went beyond her work in front of the camera. Karuppasamy described Anishma as one of the most dedicated artists he has worked with and spoke about the support she extended to him and his team throughout the making of the film. He credited her with offering the same warmth off camera, particularly during difficult moments when some people close to him were unable to provide that support.

The filmmaker ultimately thanked Anishma for “giving your soul and life” to Muthuselvi, a sentiment that offers an insight into how deeply he associates her performance with the film’s emotional centre.

Modha Rathri follows two strangers who enter into an arranged marriage despite neither of them wanting the union. A confession on their wedding night sets off a chain of events that takes them away from the expected celebrations and plunges both families into confusion and chaos. While the premise allows the film to explore its comic side, its characters are also forced to confront vulnerability, disappointment and the consequences of decisions made in a moment of emotional turmoil.

For a first-time filmmaker, the response to Modha Rathri has therefore brought more than the satisfaction of seeing his film reach audiences. Karuppasamy’s latest note suggests that some of its most difficult moments remain deeply personal memories, particularly the climax that left both its director and leading actor struggling to hold back their emotions.

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