HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad police booked veteran Telugu actor Chalapathi Rao on Tuesday for allegedly making derogatory comments about women.
Police said a case was registered against him at Saroornagar police station under Rachakonda police commissionerate, on a complaint by women’s organisations.
The actor, who made the comments about women at a film function in Hyderabad on Sunday, was booked under sections 354A (4) and 509 of the Indian Penal Code.
Earlier in the day, women’s organisations lodged a complaint against the actor with the Jubilee Hills police station in the city.
Rao, who had played negative roles in his four-decade long film career, allegedly remarked that women are only fit to be good partners in bed.
He made the remarks at the audio launch of Nagarjuna’s son Naga Chaitanya’s forthcoming Telugu film Rarandoi Veduka Chuddam on Sunday.
Rao had made the comments when one of the two anchors at Sunday’s programme went round to the VIPs, seeking their opinion if girls are a disturbance to mental peace, which is the tagline of the movie.
“What can I say if you ask like that? Women are not disturbance to peace. But, are useful to sleep with,” was how the actor replied.
His remarks went viral over social media on Tuesday and he faced a backlash from netizens.
Rao, while speaking to a TV channel on Tuesday, tendered an apology and clarified that he has high respect for women.
He also went live on Facebook, to clarify the statement and tender another apology.
Nagarjuna, Naga Chaitanya and actress Rakul Preet Singh, the female lead in the movie, along with others were present at Sunday’s function but reacted only after Rao’s remarks evoked strong condemnation from women’s groups.
“I always respect women personally and in my films. I definitely do not agree with Chalapathi Rao’s derogatory comments,” Nagarjuna tweeted on Tuesday.
Rakul apologised for responding late because she did not understand his comments.
Rakul also clarified that she and Naga Chaitanya were laughing at some thing else and not at Chalapathi Rao’s sexist comment.
IANS