Nandamuri Balakrishna Clarifies Controversial Comments on Akkineni Nageswara Rao: 'He Loved Me More Than His Own Kids'

Telugu star N. Balakrishna, recently came under fire for making derogatory comments about late veteran actor Akkineni Nageswara Rao.

Balakrishna's 'Veera Simha Reddy' has become one of the biggest hits of his career.

Source : Instagram

New Delhi: Telugu star Nandamuri Balakrishna recently came under fire for making derogatory comments about late veteran actor Akkineni Nageswara Rao. The superstar courted controversy while speaking at an event about his film wherein he spoke Akkineni Nageswara Rao's name in the wrong way. 

Talking about his father, the late former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and creator of the Telugu Desam Party, N.T. Rama Rao, Balakrishna had said rather dismissively: "My father had some contemporaries, Ranga Rao (S. V. Ranga Rao), Akkineni, Thokkineni, and some others." 

Now the actor has denied making any derogatory comments and has said that he has a lot of respect for Nageswara Rao, the actor-politician said he did not use any word intentionally while referring to the late actor. He also claimed that Nageswara Rao used to love him more than his own children and he too used to address him as uncle. 

He said at an event, "Babai (ANR) loved me more than his own kids. He was always more affectionate towards me and I have huge respect towards him and my words have been taken out of context."

Naga Chaitanya, the grandson of ANR had released a statement expressing his displeasure. "Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao garu, Akkineni Nageswara Rao garu and SV Ranga Rao garu’s creative contributions have been the pride and pillars of Telugu cinema. Disrespecting them is degrading ourselves,” the statement read. 

pic.twitter.com/NAuvMrQZtu

— chaitanya akkineni (@chay_akkineni) January 24, 2023

 
ANR and NTR Rao were contemporaries in Telugu cinema and also close friends. The two also starred together in several movies. Their friendship was also part of the NTR biopic which was made by Balakrishna who had also essayed the role of his father besides producing the film. 

Meanwhile, Balakrishna's 'Veera Simha Reddy' has become one of the biggest hits of his career. The film was released alongside Chiranjeevi's 'Waltair Veerayya' to mixed reviews.  The comment he made was also at the success meet of  ‘Veera Simha Reddy.’ 

(With IANS inputs)