RGV demands CM Revanth Reddy's action on comments targeting Tollywood

Hyderabad: In a growing saga, Tollywood film stars and directors have come together to express their support following controversial comments made by Konda Surekha, the Minister for Forest and Environment and Member of the Telangana Legislative Assembly from Warangal East.

Celebrities from the film industry, including Mega Star Chiranjeevi, Allu Arjun, Jr. NTR, and Nani, have condemned Surekha’s comments as unacceptable.

Director RGV said the Akkineni family and the film industry need to take this matter seriously and called for intervention from Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.

Actor Venkatesh Daggubati also expressed his dismay, stating, “It saddens me to see a personal situation used as political ammunition. Public figures have an ethical duty to maintain dignity in discourse. Dragging private lives into politics serves no one and only adds to the pain of those involved.”

Manchu Vishnu, President of the Movie Artists Association (MAA), reiterated the importance of respecting personal lives, stating, “As artists, we are familiar with public attention, but our families deserve the same respect as anyone else. I urge politicians to refrain from using actors’ names for political narratives.”

Actress Manchu Lakshmi voiced her frustrations on social media, saying, “It’s disheartening that politicians often throw actors under the bus for attention. This behaviour is infuriating, especially when it comes from a woman. We dedicate our lives to entertain, not to be used for political games.”

Varun Tej Konidela added, “I condemn the harsh words spoken by Minister Konda Surekha. Targeting families and speaking ill of women is unacceptable. We will not tolerate such behaviour.”

Lavanya Konidela Tripathi also condemned the comments, stating, “It is shameful for a woman to speak so horribly about another woman, especially regarding a family already facing difficulties.”

The controversy began during a media briefing on October 2, 2024.