Iran Embassy Uses Balakrishna's Bhagavanth Kesari Clip to Answer Trump

Nandamuri Balakrishna's action scenes have found an unlikely new audience. The Iranian Embassy in Zimbabwe reportedly posted a 58-second clip from Bhagavanth Kesari on X on September 23, using it to hit back at US President Donald Trump.

The footage shows Balakrishna facing off against a group of armed men carrying rifles and riot shields. The embassy's post said Trump talks about annihilating Iran but knows the country is "not defenseless." It also joked that the US side had lately been watching Bollywood instead of Hollywood, even though the clip comes from a Telugu film.

The post came a day after Trump spoke at the United Nations General Assembly on September 22. According to reports, he said he faced a "big decision" on whether a deal could let Iran rebuild, or whether he would "annihilate the Islamic Republic" if no agreement was reached. He also said he still believed a deal was possible.

Iranian officials have separately dismissed the threats. They reportedly warned that the country would respond strongly to any further military action. The Balakrishna clip is said to be the latest in a series of posts from official Iranian social media accounts that use memes and pop culture references to answer political moves by the United States.

For one report fans, the story is a simpler one. A mass action sequence from a Balayya film has become part of an international exchange, and the post quickly drew attention online. Tollywood followers in particular were quick to spot their star in a very unexpected setting.

The moment shows how far the reach of a Balakrishna action scene can travel, turning a tense diplomatic war of words into a talking point for Telugu film lovers.