The veteran actor, in Ayodhya to begin filming his upcoming project Shri Ram Bhoomi, spoke to reporters about the embezzlement allegations that have engulfed the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust over the past month. Kher said those responsible for the alleged theft should be identified and punished, but argued the controversy shouldn't be allowed to diminish the temple's sanctity or reflect on the wider faith. Drawing a comparison, he said a theft inside a house doesn't take away from the value of the house itself, and that neither Sanatan Dharma nor Lord Ram should be blamed for the actions of individuals.

The controversy Kher was responding to centers on an alleged scheme to skim donation money during the counting process at the temple complex. A Special Investigation Team formed by the Uttar Pradesh government submitted a preliminary report this week, reportedly finding CCTV footage from between April 27 and June 5 showing roughly 70 instances of counting staff concealing cash in their clothing and other personal items. Six individuals have been named with what investigators describe as prima facie evidence of involvement, and cases have been registered against them. Uttar Pradesh police have also sought custody of three of the accused, from whom several lakh rupees in cash was recovered, in order to trace the money through their bank records.

The fallout has already reached the top of the trust's leadership. General Secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra had their resignations accepted by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust this week, in line with the trust's constitution. Rai, in a handwritten letter posted to X, said he had stayed silent on the matter while the SIT's report was pending, and that he had personally faced what he called unfair allegations during that period.

The episode has taken on political weight beyond the temple itself, surfacing months ahead of assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh — India's most populous state and the temple's home ground. Kher isn't the only public figure to have weighed in; trust officials have separately urged that the matter not be politicised, even as opposition leaders have used it to question the state government's oversight of the temple's finances.

For Kher, the Ayodhya visit doubled as the start of production on Shri Ram Bhoomi, which begins a 10–12 day shoot in the city. The actor, whose career spans more than five decades and hundreds of films, said the visit was as much about seeking blessings for the new project as it was about addressing the controversy directly.