Veteran actor Nagarjuna, Naga Chaitanya’s father, has said that he is considering taking legal action against Congress leader and Telangana minister Konda Surekha for her comments on Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Naga Chaitanya’s divorce. The minister had linked BRS leader KT Rama Rao (KTR) to the divorce of the actors.
Nagarjuna to take legal action against Konda Surekha
Speaking to Times Now, Nagarjuna said, " “I am in Vizag. I am heading back to Hyderabad for action ahead.” When asked if legal proceedings were on the cards, Nagarjuna was firm, saying, “Oh, absolutely! A hundred percent. We can’t let this go. Not at all. I am rushing back with lawyers.”
Konda Surekha apologises for her statement
On Thursday, Konda Surekha issued an apology on X (formerly Twitter), addressing Samantha directly. She wrote, “My comments are meant to question a leader’s belittling of women and not to hurt your sentiments, Samantha. The way you have grown up with self-power is not only an admiration for me.. but also an ideal. If you or your fans are offended by my comments, I unconditionally retract my comments. Don’t think otherwise.”
Naga Chaitanya and Samantha speak out
Following the minister’s remarks, Naga Chaitanya issued his own statement, condemning the use of personal matters for media sensationalism. He wrote on X, “The decision of divorce is easily one of the most painful and unfortunate life decisions one has to make. After a lot of thought, a mutual decision was made by me and my former spouse to part ways. It was a decision made in peace, owing to our different life goals and in the interest of moving forward with respect and dignity as two mature adults. However, there have been various baseless and completely ridiculous gossips on the matter so far. I have remained silent all this while out of deep respect for my earlier spouse as well as my family,” he wrote.
“Today, the claim made by Minister Konda surekha garu is not only false, it is absolutely ridiculous and unacceptable. Women deserve to be supported and respected. Taking advantage and exploiting the personal life decisions of celebrities for the sake of media headlines is shameful,” he added.
Samantha Ruth Prabhu also responded strongly, her statement read, "My divorce is a personal matter, and I request that you refrain from speculating about it. Our choice to keep things private doesn't invite misrepresentation. To clarify: my divorce was mutual consent and amicable, with no political conspiracy involved. Could you please keep my name out of political battles? I have always remained non-political and wish to continue doing so.”
KT Rama Rao to take action against Surekha
KT Rama Rao, who was directly implicated in the minister’s claims, has responded by serving a legal notice to Konda Surekha. Additionally, he called on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to recommend that Surekha undergo "mental health treatment or therapy."
The incident has drawn reactions from across the entertainment industry, with celebrities such as Jr NTR, Nani, Chinmayi Sripaada, and Prakash Raj expressing their disapproval of the minister’s remarks.