Iran mocks Donald Trump using Telugu superstar Balakrishna's ‘Bhagavanth Kesari’ movie clip in reply to US President's 'annihilate' threat

Iran has responded to US President Donald Trump’s warning against the Islamic Republic with an unexpected pop-culture reference, a Telugu action scene featuring Nandamuri Balakrishna. The Iranian Embassy in Zimbabwe shared a 58-second clip from Bhagavanth Kesari on X, using the film’s intense action sequence to mock Trump after his comments at the United Nations General Assembly.

The embassy also seemed to suggest that the Trump administration had been watching Indian cinema instead of Hollywood. However, there was one obvious mix-up done by the Iran embassy as the clip used by them was from a Telugu film, not a Bollywood production.

Balakrishna's Bhagavanth Kesari clip

The video shows Balakrishna’s character in a confrontation with groups of armed men, holding rifles, riot shields and other weapons visible during the standoff.


Along with the clip, the Iranian Embassy wrote: "Trump talks about annihilating Iran. But he knows Iran is not defenseless. Since we informed they have recently been watching Bollywood instead of Hollywood".

The post turned a serious exchange between the US and Iran into a reference to Indian pop culture.

However, eagle-eyed users on X quickly pointed out that Bhagavanth Kesari is a Telugu film and therefore part of the Telugu film industry, rather than Bollywood.

What did Trump say about Iran?

The Iranian post came after Trump made a strong warning during his UNGA address on Tuesday.

As per Reuters, while discussing the ongoing conflict involving the US and Iran, Trump said he had a "big decision" to make over whether a deal could allow Iran to rebuild or whether the US would "annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly."

He also asked delegates, "Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before, maybe one of the greatest in the Middle East or even the world?"

Trump then further added, "Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again?"

About Bhagavanth Kesari

The clip comes from Bhagavanth Kesari, the 2023 Telugu action film directed by Anil Ravipudi and starring Nandamuri Balakrishna, Sreeleela, Kajal Aggarwal and Arjun Rampal.

The film follows Balakrishna’s character, Nelakonda Bhagavanth Kesari, as he helps his late friend’s daughter Vijji overcome trauma and build the mental strength required to join the Indian Army.