Bangalore, April 22: Pro-Kannada groups today decided to allow the release of Bahubali 2: The Conclusion, accepting Tamil actor Sathyaraj's apology for his provocative comments on the Cauvery water dispute.

The activists met in Bangalore and called off the state-wide strike they had planned to organise on April 28, the day the much-awaited Bahubali sequel releases.

"We have seen his (Sathyaraj's) video message and accepted his apology to the people of Karnataka. We will allow the movie to be released," said Vatal Nagaraj, a self-appointed but influential leader who has for decades been fighting for "Kannada pride".

"But we want to warn Sathyaraj not to make such remarks again if he wants his movies to run in Karnataka," added Nagaraj, who had been leading the agitation against the actor's comments.

At a demonstration by the Tamil film industry in solidarity with Tamil farmers seeking water from Karnataka, Sathyaraj had urged Tamils to stand up for their rights and not be passive like a tree every dog would urinate on. Pro-Kannada activists have objected to the "dog" reference that they felt was about Karnataka residents opposing the release of Cauvery waters to Tamil Nadu.

Nagaraj today said the fight was not against the movie. "We were never against the film as we have always encouraged good filmmakers and their work," he said, referring to the S.S. Rajamouli-directed epic fantasy.

On Thursday, Rajamouli had released a video message seeking the cooperation of the protesters in Karnataka to allow the release of Bahubali 2: The Conclusion.

Veteran Tamil actor Kamal Haasan tweeted his appreciation of Sathyaraj's apology and "for maintaining rationality in a troubled environment".

Haasan's 2013 film Vishwaroopam had faced the ire of some minority groups for alleged "anti-Muslim bias". The actor had denied the allegation, pointing out that he played the character of a Muslim officer who fights against al Qaida.

Faced with country-wide protests, Haasan had to snip several scenes to secure the release of the film.

In Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, the Cauvery water dispute has always been a sensitive issue that had even roiled superstar Rajinikanth.

Kannada groups led by Nagaraj had called for a boycott of Rajinikanth's 2008 film Kuselan accusing him of speaking against Karnataka during a protest linked to the water dispute.

The Kannada activists had argued that as the actor was a native of Bangalore, where he was raised and worked as a bus conductor before turning to acting and moving to Chennai, he should not have spoken against Karnataka over the Cauvery issue.

The movie was allowed to hit the theatres in Karnataka after Rajinikanth apologised.

Films have frequently been targeted in both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over contentious issues and they have to be pulled from theatres till normality is restored.

Other than the Cauvery dispute, the other emotive issue is the drinking water project at Hogenakkal along the inter-state border in Karnataka's Chamarajanagar, 130km from Bangalore.