Tamil film director Vignesh Shivan tendered an open apology on Friday night and said that the couple had no disrespect towards Lord Venkateswara whom they revered with utmost devotion.
"It is with the same zeal that I and my wife, Nayanathara, drove straight to the temple from our marriage venue at Mahabalipuram to take part in the Kalyanotsavam of the deity without even going to our homes" he said.
The couple found themselves in a thick of controversy when a footage of them walking along the Mada Streets of the hill temple with footwear on went viral on Friday.
Mr. Vignesh said that in their anxiety driven hurriedness to have some photos clicked in front of the main temple, they did not realise that they were sporting the footwear. “Further compounding our woes we were also mobbed by several enthusiastic shutterbugs,” he said.
“The photo shoot was done only with an intention to etch the sweet moments in our memory and as such there was no mala fide intention behind it,” he said
“In fact, we had visited the town five times last month with an intention to get our wedding celebrated atop the sacred shrine, but could not do so owing to other logistics,” he said and reiterated that they had no intention of hurting the sentiments of the devout.
