Raghava Lawrence issues clarification amid backlash over 'street dog' analogy, says 'completely misleading'

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], June 15 (ANI): Actor-director Raghava Lawrence on Sunday issued a clarification after remarks made during a recent press interaction led to backlash on social media, with some users accusing him of comparing people to dogs.
Lawrence, who has recently been making headlines after hinting at a possible political entry, said his comments had been misunderstood and urged people to watch the complete video before forming opinions.
The controversy began after Lawrence spoke about the functioning of the Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government during an interaction with the media. While sharing his views on the government, he said that a new administration needs time to settle into its role and understand the challenges that come with governance.
Explaining his point, Lawrence had said, "We move into a new house after visiting the place once or twice. But, only when we start living in it, do we slowly discover one problem after another. Even a stray dog in the area will bark at us. We have to buy either biscuits or sometimes even biriyani to ensure the dog gets familiar with us. It's the case with a house and a dog. You've given him a state, give them some time. Think positively. You wanted change, change is now here. I feel if you give them time, it'll be good."
Soon after clips from the interaction surfaced online, several social media users claimed that the actor had compared people to stray dogs.
Reacting to the criticism, Lawrence shared a clarification on X later in the day. He said the remarks were being taken out of context and insisted that he never referred to people in a disrespectful manner.
"I have always said that my fans and the people are equal to my mother. Some are spreading false news that I referred to people as dogs, which is completely untrue and misleading," he wrote on X.

Hi everyone,

I would like to clarify a misunderstanding regarding my recent press meeting.

I have always said that my fans and the people are equal to my mother. Some are spreading false news that I referred to people as dogs, which is completely untrue and misleading.

All I… pic.twitter.com/576GhWsI61

— Raghava Lawrence (@offl_Lawrence) June 14, 2026

"All I meant was that when we move into a new house, it takes time to understand the surroundings and even the dogs in the area, their habits, and what they like to eat. I'm not such a heartless person as to call people dogs, whom I respect deeply and regard as equal to my mother," he added.
Further explaining what he meant, the actor added that he was only speaking about adjusting to a new environment and understanding one's surroundings.
"I was only talking about understanding a new environment takes time to get used to and did not refer to people anywhere. I request everyone to watch the full video and understand what I actually meant," he wrote.
Lawrence is one of the most popular names in South Indian cinema. Beginning his career as a choreographer, he went on to establish himself as an actor, director and producer. He is best known for the successful Muni and Kanchana horror-comedy franchise, which emerged as one of the most successful film series in Tamil cinema. He also made his Bollywood directorial debut with Laxmii in 2020. (ANI)

(This article was generated from news agency ANI without modifications to the text.)