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Renowned Kazakh actor Kairat Adilgerey has issued a public apology following widespread criticism and objections from the descendants of folk music icon Kurmangazy Sagyrbayuly regarding comments made about the musician during a podcast.

Actor Acknowledges Misstep

Adilgerey shared a video on his social media to address the controversy, explaining that his intention was not to disrespect the spirit of Kurmangazy. He admitted that his words were poorly chosen and potentially misinterpreted.

"In the past two days, my comments about our ancestor Kurmangazy on a certain podcast have been heavily discussed," Adilgerey stated. "Elders and representatives from the city of Oral have gathered, expressed their discontent, and even threatened legal action. At this point, I acknowledge my mistake."

The actor confessed that he made the remarks several years ago during a podcast recording and described his delivery as "very crude." He explained that he was relaying a story he heard from a shrine keeper in a rough, youthful manner, which he now recognizes as a significant error.

Addressing Descendants' Concerns

Kairat Adilgerey expressed his readiness to meet the demands of Kurmangazy's descendants. He pledged to visit the musician's resting place to offer prayers and provide further clarification.

"I am prepared to fulfill the demands of the elders from Oral. Within these next few days, I will travel to Astrakhan, offer a Quran, and explain all the details there. I ask for your forgiveness," he said.

Origin of the Controversy

The situation escalated after a clip from a podcast circulated online, featuring Adilgerey's comments about Kurmangazy. In the clip, the actor suggested that Kurmangazy, beyond being a musician, was involved in banditry and robbery, taking from the rich to give to the poor, alongside his associate Isatai.

Following the spread of this clip, representatives of the Kyzylkurt tribe from the western region and descendants of Kurmangazy issued a statement asserting that the actor's words damaged the reputation of the historical figure.

Historical Discrepancies Highlighted

The statement emphasized that the information presented by the actor contradicted historical records. Specifically, it was noted that Kurmangazy's mausoleum is located in Altynzhar, Astrakhan Oblast, Russia, not in Akzhar, and that the accounts from the local shrine keeper differed from Adilgerey's narrative. Furthermore, the statement clarified that Kurmangazy's associate was Emshat, not Isatai, and his primary occupation was dombra playing, not theft or banditry.

The elders announced their intention to pursue legal action to have the actor's statements legally assessed and analyzed. They also formally requested that Kairat Adilgerey visit Kurmangazy's grave to offer his apology.

This information was reported by the Infohub.kz news agency.