Many celebrities took to social media to condemn Telangana minister Konda Surekha's recent controversial comments on Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Naga Chaitanya's divorce. Top stars from the Telugu film industry, including Allu Arjun, Jr. NTR, Chiranjeevi, Sudheer Babu, and Lakshmi Manchu, voiced their disapproval of her remarks.
This comes in response to Surekha's remarks connecting Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader KT Rama Rao to the actors’ separation.
Celebs slam Minister's remarks on Naga-Samantha Divorce
Allu Arjun came in support of Samantha and shared a statement with the hashtag #FilmIndustryWillNotTolerate.
“I strongly condemn the baseless derogatory comments made about film personalities and film families. This behaviour is deeply disrespectful and goes against the values of our Telugu culture. Such irresponsible actions should not be accepted as normal. I urge the parties involved to act more responsibly and respect individual privacy, especially towards women. We must promote respect and dignity in society as a whole,” he wrote.
Chiranjeevi also used the hashtag in his statement on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “It is a shame that celebs and members of film fraternity become soft targets as they provide instant reach and attention. We as Film Industry stand united in opposing such vicious verbal assaults on our members.”
“No one should stoop to this level for scoring political points by dragging unconnected people and more so women into their political slug fest and make distasteful fictional allegations,” he added.
Another prominent actor who responded to the controversy surrounding the Congress leader was NT Rama Rao Jr.
“Public figures, especially those in responsible positions like you, must maintain dignity and respect for privacy. It's disheartening to see baseless statements thrown around carelessly, especially about the film industry," he wrote in a tweet.
"We will not sit quietly while others make baseless allegations against us. We should rise above this and maintain respect for each other's boundaries. Let's ensure our society does not normalize such reckless behavior in democratic India," the actor added.
Actor Nani said in a post on X, "When your words can be so irresponsible it's stupid of us to expect that you will have any responsibility for your people. It's not just about actors or cinema. This is not abt any political party. It is not okay for someone in such a respectable position to talk such utter baseless rubbish infront of media and think that it is okay. We all should condemn such practice which will reflect poorly on our society."
Nagarjuna Akkineni's reaction
The remarks prompted a strong reaction from veteran actor Nagarjuna Akkineni, who is also Naga Chaitanya's father.
"I strongly condemn the comments of the Honorable Minister Mrs. 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," he said.
Konda Surekha's statement on Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Naga Chaitanya's divorce
Surekha claimed on Wednesday that BRS party leader KT Rama Rao (KTR) has been tapping the phones of female actors and blackmailing them. After facing backlash, she clarified on X that her intention behind the comment was misunderstood.
She wrote in Telugu, “My intention was only to point out how a leader is belittling towards woman but not to hurt your sentiments, Samantha. The way you have grown exponentially by yourself is something I admire and aspire to. If you or your fans have been hurt by my words, I unconditionally retract them. Please do not take it otherwise.”