Hyderabad: Prominent stars from the Telugu film industry have strongly condemned Telangana Minister Konda Surekha’s remarks, which linked Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader KT Rama Rao to the divorce of actors Naga Chaitanya and Samantha Ruth Prabhu.
Veteran actor Chiranjeevi expressed his deep disappointment in a post on X, stating that he was “extremely pained” by the minister’s “disgraceful remarks.”
“I am deeply saddened by the disgraceful comments made by a respected woman minister. It is unfortunate that celebrities and members of the film industry become easy targets because they attract instant attention. We, as the Film Industry, stand united in opposing such harmful verbal attacks on our community,” Chiranjeevi said.
He further criticized the practice of dragging personal lives into political battles, especially targeting women, and called on politicians to set better examples by maintaining respectful discourse. “No one should stoop so low for political points by involving uninvolved individuals. I hope the concerned parties will retract these malicious comments immediately.”
NT Rama Rao Junior, popularly known as Jr NTR, also responded to the controversy. The ‘RRR’ actor took to social media to express his disappointment, stating that “dragging personal lives into politics is a new low.” He urged public figures, especially those in responsible positions, to respect privacy and avoid making careless, baseless statements, particularly about the film industry.
Actor Allu Arjun joined the chorus of criticism with a post and hashtag “#FilmIndustryWillNotTolerate,” condemning the derogatory remarks about film personalities and families. He stressed the need to promote respect and dignity in society and urged leaders to act more responsibly.
Actor Nani also voiced his disapproval, calling it “disgusting” that politicians feel they can make irresponsible comments without consequences. He emphasized that such behavior reflects poorly on society and should be universally condemned.
Vishnu Manchu, actor and president of the Movie Artists Association, highlighted the importance of respect and trust within the film industry. He urged political figures to refrain from using actors’ personal lives for political gain and emphasized the need to protect the privacy of their families.
The controversy erupted after Minister Konda Surekha accused BRS leader KT Rama Rao of being involved in the divorce of Naga Chaitanya and Samantha Ruth Prabhu, alleging that he had tapped actresses’ phones and blackmailed them. The comments were met with sharp criticism from Naga Chaitanya’s father, veteran actor Nagarjuna Akkineni, who called for the immediate withdrawal of the baseless and irrelevant accusations.
Naga Chaitanya himself responded, describing divorce as a “painful and unfortunate decision” made in mutual agreement with Samantha Ruth Prabhu. He condemned the minister’s claims as false and demanded respect for personal privacy.
Samantha Ruth Prabhu also spoke out, urging the minister to refrain from speculating about her divorce and clarifying that it was a mutual and amicable decision, with no political involvement. She requested that her name not be used in political battles and called for respect for individual privacy.
Amid the widespread backlash, Konda Surekha issued a clarification, stating that her remarks were meant to question KT Rama Rao’s treatment of women and were not intended to hurt Samantha Prabhu’s sentiments. She apologized and retracted her comments if they caused any offense.
In response, KT Rama Rao sent a defamation notice to the minister, accusing the ruling Congress of engaging in “disgusting and nauseating politics.”
