E-Paper
Telangana minister Konda Surekha’s remarks trigger uproar in Telugu film industry
Following the uproar, the Congress leader withdrew her statement and tendered an apology, stating that it wasn’t her intention to hurt anyone’s feelings.
Several celebrities on Thursday expressed anger over Telangana minister Konda Surekha’s comments after a day earlier she accused Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president and former minister KT Rama Rao of being responsible for the divorce of Telugu actors Akkineni Naga Chaitanya and Samantha Ruth Prabhu.
Several Tollywood actors – from megastar Chiranjeevi to senior actors Akkineni Nagarjuna, D Venkatesh, Jr NTR, Mahesh Babu, Allu Arjun, Ram Charan Teja, Nani, Manchu Vishnu, Manchu Lakshmi, Naresh and Varun Tej – took to social media platform X to vent their angst at Surekha for making the ‘derogatory’ comments, dragging Samantha and Naga Chaitanya into her political slugfest with the BRS.
Even Tamil actress Kushboo and Kannada actor Prakash Raj condemned the Congress leader’s comments. The Movie Artists Association (MAA), headed by actor Manchu Vishnu, too released a statement criticising Surekha.
Demanding the minister to withdraw her remarks, Chiranjeevi wrote on X, “No one should stoop to this level for scoring political points by dragging unconnected people and more so women into their political slugfest and making distasteful fictional allegations.”
Chaitanya’s father Nagarjuna said he will file a legal notice against the minister.
Following the uproar, Surekha withdrew her statement and tendered an apology, stating that it wasn’t her intention to hurt Samantha’s feelings.
“My comments are meant to question a leader’s attitude towards women and not to hurt your sentiments,” Surekha said on X, tagging the actress. “The way you have grown in the industry with your own will power is not only admirable but also inspirational. If you or your fans feel offended by comments, I unconditionally withdraw my comments,” Surekha said on X.
The minister, however, said she made the comments against KTR, who had humiliated her. “He instigated me, and in response to that, I criticised KTR...in the process, I spoke about a certain family. I have no hard feelings and hatred towards anyone from that family. I realised my mistake. I hurt them regarding the same issue, due to which I was hurt. No one should be hurt and humiliated the way I was,” she said.
It all began with some BRS activists posting a picture on social media in which BJP MP M Raghuanandan Rao was seen garlanding her and making suggestive comments against her. Speaking to reporters at Gandhi Bhavan on Tuesday, Surekha burst into tears and in a fit of emotion, made some disparaging remarks against KTR.
“KTR is the reason many female actors are getting married and leaving the industry. He is addicted to drugs and got them (female actors) addicted as well. He held rave parties and blackmailed them,” she said in response.
Surekha’s comments triggered an uproar from Tollywood. Samantha took to X and requested the minister to retract her statement. “My divorce was with mutual consent and amicable with no political conspiracy involved. Could you please keep my name out of political battles? I have always remained non-political and wish to continue doing so.”
In a statement, Naga Chaitanya said their divorce was a mutual decision “made in peace, owing to our different life goals and in the interest of moving forward with respect and dignity as two mature adults”.
Nagarjuna also made a lengthy statement on X, decrying the minister’s comments. “I strongly condemn the comments of the Minister, Konda Surekha. Don’t use the lives of movie stars who stay away from politics to criticize your opponents. Please respect other people’s privacy. As a woman in a responsible position, your comments and accusations against our family are completely irrelevant and false. I request you to withdraw your comments immediately,” Nagarjuna said in a post on X.
His wife Amala Akkineni strongly condemned Surekha’s comments and said she was shocked to hear a woman minister say such things.
Telangana IAS officer Smita Sabharwal expressed shock at the comments of the minister. “Was shocked to see the not so honourable statement by Konda Surekha, a sitting Minister. Everything cannot be for politics. Let us build a healthy discourse in public life,” Sabharwal said on X.
Meanwhile, KTR filed a defamation case against Surekha on Wednesday and said, “her remarks are baseless and malicious, aimed at tarnishing my reputation by making unsubstantiated claims”.
Surekha, however, said she would stand by her comments against KTR, adding that she was ready to challenge the legal notice in the court of law.
