Hyderabad, December 24: Continuing their protest against film actors Mohan Babu and PRP president Chiranjeevi’s united Andhra stand, TRS activists on
Wednesday attacked the film unit of the movie ‘Varudu’ in which Allu Arjun, nephew of Chiranjeevi, is playing the lead role.
The incident took place around 1.30 pm at Anajpur village near Ramoji Film City. The agitators numbering about 200, including activists of the TRS and ABVP, turned up at the location all of a sudden and began shouting slogans. The unit members, including director Gunasekhar, ran into the nearby fields and hills to escape the wrath of the protesters. The protesters then damaged the camera, lights and other film equipment. Allu Arjun, who was shooting a fight sequence, escaped in a vehicle before he could be physically targeted.
No policemen were present at the shooting spot. The Hayathnagar police, however, said they had no intimation that the shooting was taking place there. Hayathnagar inspector N Narasimha Reddy said no arrests were made and there was no complaint.
Enraged over the attack on his son’s film shooting, Prajarajyam Party (PRP) general secretary Allu Arvind said the TRS should rein in its activists. Arvind said it should have been an eye-opener to the film industry when the first incident itself took place in which Mohan Babu’s home production film unit was attacked during shooting by TRS activists in Kompally on Tuesday. “The film chamber should react appropriately,” Arvind said.
Meanwhile, Mohan Babu met chief minister K Rosaiah and DGP R R Girish Kumar and demanded adequate protection for the film units shooting in Hyderabad and elsewhere in the Telangana region. He also sought permission for taking out a peace rally, but the police is yet to accord him the same.
The actor also threatened to file cases against TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao for making inflammatory speeches and instigating his cadre. “I am going to file cases under Section 153 of the Indian Penal Code (provocation with intent of causing riot) against KCR,” Mohan Babu told the media after meeting the chief minister.
Mohan Babu also faulted the Movie Artistes Association (MAA), the Telugu Film Producers Council (TFPC) and the A P Film Chamber of Commerce for not coming out in his support. “Nobody from these organisations even called me to enquire as to what had happened. They say there is unity in the film industry but there is no such thing. If they want to join hands with me after they themselves are attacked, I may not sail with them,” he said.
The A P Film Chamber of Commerce, however, has decided to ‘wait and watch’ instead of taking any stance on the pro-Telangana or united Andhra issues. “There is no need for anyone to speak strongly on such a matter. Only individuals who are doing it are being targeted,” a senior office-bearer of the film chamber said. The chamber will meeting on December 28 and the developments will come up for a thorough discussion.
–Agencies