After being in the news for peddling fake propaganda against India all these years, Indian Express has reached a new low. This time, The Hindu has accused The Indian Express of reproducing substantial portions of its exclusive interview with actor Rishikanth, reworking the original story and using a photograph from the accompanying photoshoot without permission or credit.
The controversy came to light after The Hindu publicly called out the publication for lifting content from its exclusive interview with Tamil actor Rishikanth, conducted by its journalist Srinivasa Ramanujam at the newspaper’s Chennai office.
The Hindu had published the interview on 3 November 2026, under the headline, ‘Rishikanth on Dorothy, newfound fame and his journey from a Chennai mansion to a new home’. The interview discussed the actor’s 15-year struggle in the film industry and his newfound success following the film Dorothy and the song Modha Rathri.
However, The Indian Express subsequently published a report on November 4 titled, ‘Dorothy actor Rishikanth faced enormous failures, found success after 15 years’. The report reproduced and reworked substantial portions of the original interview, according to The Hindu.
The issue was not limited to the written content. The Indian Express also used a photograph of Rishikanth from the photoshoot accompanying The Hindu’s interview. The photograph was taken by The Hindu’s photographer, Thamodharan B.
Following the controversy, Indian Express changed the cover picture.
Calling out the publication, The Hindu said, “Quoting an exclusive interview is standard journalistic practice. Reproducing virtually an entire story, even with portions reworded, is not.”
It further expressed disappointment over the disregard for original reporting and photography, adding that credit where it is due is a basic tenet of journalism.
The @IndianExpress has reproduced and reworked substantial portions of an exclusive interview with actor Rishikanth, conducted by The Hindu’s @srinivasjam at our Chennai office. It has also used a photograph from the accompanying photoshoot by our photographer, @thamodharran, without permission or credit.
Quoting an exclusive interview is standard journalistic practice. Reproducing virtually an entire story, even with portions reworded, is not.
We find this disregard for original reporting and photography deeply disappointing. Credit where it is due is a basic tenet of journalism.
https://t.co/9yRtsM8XYG
— The Hindu (@the_hindu) November 5, 2026
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