GOAT, starring Sudigali Sudheer and Divya Bharathi, has been embroiled in controversy. The film's production was halted midway due to various issues, only to resume and eventually complete. However, director Naresh Kuppili's repeated controversies have created major differences between him and the producers.
Recently, Naresh posted negative comments about heroine Divya Bharathi on social media, prompting her to respond strongly, escalating the issue. Sudigali Sudheer, reportedly close to the director, showed little interest in the project and was absent during the teaser launch of GOAT.
The producer, Mogulla Chandrasekhar, expressed his disappointment, stating that Sudheer is a responsible person who rose from the bottom and worked hard to get where he is. The producer has filed a police complaint against the director for leaking scenes from the film. Even Sudheer doesn't dubbed for the released teaser cut.
The controversy has sparked speculation about Sudheer's absence from promotional events, with some claiming that Naresh is influencing Sudheer to back off from promotions. The producer has taken the matter to the Producers' Council, but no official pronouncement has been made. With a significant investment of ₹12-14 crores, Sudheer's silence is becoming a concern for the producer.