Telangana Minister Konda Surekha is facing significant backlash following her remarks about the Telugu film industry, prompting the emergence of the hashtag #FilmIndustryWillNotTolerate. Several prominent actors, including Mahesh Babu,Ravi Teja, Manchu Manoj, Samyuktha, and Teja Sajja, have voiced their concerns on social media platforms.
Extremely pained by the comments made by Minister Konda Surekha garu on fellow members of our film fraternity. As a father of a daughter, as a husband to a wife and as son to a mother… I am deeply anguished by the unacceptable remarks and language used by a woman minister on another woman. Freedom of speech can be exercised as long as it does not hurt other’s sentiments. I strongly condemn the cheap and baseless comments made and request people in public domain to refrain from making the film fraternity a soft target. The women of our country and our film fraternity should be treated with utmost respect and dignity.- Mahesh Babu
Ravi Teja expressed his dismay, stating, “I am appalled that a woman minister is leveling such vile allegations against a respected individual in the name of political vendetta. It’s a shameful act. Don’t drag innocent people, especially women, into political rivalries. Politicians should inspire everyone while promoting social values.”
Actor Harish Shankar also weighed in on the issue, lamenting, “The way Konda Surekha spoke about Akkineni Nagarjuna’s family is very troubling. It is disappointing to see the film industry being targeted for political purposes. During times of disaster in our state, it is wrong to use the industry as a scapegoat. If you initiated this discourse, it is your responsibility to address it culturally.”
Manchu Manoj echoed similar sentiments, saying, “It is disheartening to hear such baseless comments from Minister Konda Surekha. As a woman in power, you must understand the challenges women face in achieving success in any field. Making misogynistic and false allegations about the personal lives of film stars for political gain is unacceptable. I urge Rahul Gandhi to ensure that leaders in his party refrain from such behavior. Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy should take action to prevent such incidents in the future. The film industry strongly condemns personal attacks.”
Teja Sajja also criticized the remarks, stating, “This is unacceptable. Accusing someone based on their personal life for attention is disgraceful. Politicians should act responsibly and respect everyone’s life. Our contributions to society through donations and public service should not be overshadowed by baseless claims.”
Rajasekhar added, “It is disheartening to see Mrs. Konda Surekha make such derogatory comments for political gain. Such unfounded rumors about the personal lives of film personalities will not be tolerated.”
Sundeep Kishan emphasized the need for respect, stating, “It is troubling that a leader elected by the people is making disgraceful allegations on a public platform about celebrities who have inspired many. We request politicians to please respect our industry.”
As criticism mounts, actors are uniting in their call for politicians to refrain from making false allegations against the film industry, urging for mutual respect and understanding. -Suma Kanakala