Tollywood unites for Samantha: Here’s how biggest stars reacted to Konda Surekha controversy
Recently, Konda Surekha, a prominent politician in Telangana and a serving minister, found herself in controversy after making certain remarks about the Akkineni family during a political confrontation. Her comments, which included references to actor Naga Chaitanya and his ex-wife, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, sparked significant backlash, leading to an outcry from the film fraternity. The issue quickly gained traction on social media, and soon, the hashtag FilmIndustryWillNotTolerate began trending, with multiple celebrities voicing their discontent.
This situation escalated when Surekha made baseless claims about the personal lives of Naga Chaitanya and Samantha, dragging their past marriage into a political discourse. Her remarks seemed to be aimed at gaining political mileage, but they touched a nerve with the public and the film industry, prompting several celebrities to step forward and condemn her comments.
NTR’s Response
Jr. NTR, one of the most respected and popular actors in the Telugu film industry, was among the first to respond. He expressed his disappointment in a strong tweet, saying, “Konda Surekha garu dragging personal lives into politics is a new low. Public figures, especially those in responsible positions, must maintain dignity and respect for privacy. It’s disheartening to see baseless statements thrown around carelessly, especially about the film industry.”
NTR further emphasized the need for mutual respect in public life, especially when it comes to personal matters. He added, “We will not sit quietly while others make baseless allegations against us. We should rise above this and ensure our society does not normalize such reckless behavior in democratic India.” His statement resonated with many, as he urged for restraint and dignity in public discourse.
Konda Surekha garu, dragging personal lives into politics is a new low. 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…
— Jr NTR (@tarak9999) October 2, 2024
Naga Chaitanya’s Statement
Naga Chaitanya, directly affected by the comments, also shared his thoughts in a carefully worded statement. He wrote, “The decision of divorce is easily one of the most painful and unfortunate decisions one can make. After a lot of thought, it was a mutual decision made by me and my former spouse to part ways. This was done in peace, respecting our individual life goals and interests.”
He further clarified that his silence on the matter so far had been out of respect for both Samantha and his family. However, he felt the need to respond to Konda Surekha’s accusations, calling them “completely ridiculous and unacceptable.” Chaitanya added, “Women deserve to be supported and respected. Exploiting the personal life decisions of celebrities for the sake of media headlines is shameful.”
— chaitanya akkineni (@chay_akkineni) October 2, 2024
Chiranjeevi’s Stand
Megastar Chiranjeevi also expressed his sorrow regarding the incident. In his statement, he said, “I am extremely pained to see the disgraceful remarks made by an honourable woman minister. It is a shame that celebrities and members of the film fraternity become easy targets for those looking for instant reach and attention.”
Chiranjeevi, widely regarded for his contributions to both cinema and society, stood firmly behind his colleagues, saying, “We as the film industry stand united in opposing such vicious verbal assaults. Politicians should refrain from stooping to this level for political gains by dragging unconnected people, especially women, into their political battles.” He concluded his message by urging Konda Surekha to retract her malicious statements and show respect for the industry.
I am extremely pained to see the disgraceful remarks made by an honourable woman minister.
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…
— Chiranjeevi Konidela (@KChiruTweets) October 3, 2024
Allu Arjun’s Condemnation
Stylish Star Allu Arjun also joined the wave of support for Naga Chaitanya and Samantha. He took to social media to express his disapproval, saying, “I strongly condemn the baseless derogatory comments made about film personalities and families. This behaviour is deeply disrespectful and goes against the values of our Telugu culture.”
Allu Arjun stressed that such irresponsible actions should not be tolerated, especially when they target women and their personal lives. He added, “I urge the parties involved to act more responsibly and respect individual privacy. We must promote respect and dignity in our society as a whole.”
#FilmIndustryWillNotTolerate pic.twitter.com/sxTOyBZStB
— Allu Arjun (@alluarjun) October 3, 2024
Ram Gopal Varma’s Outrage
Director Ram Gopal Varma, known for his bold opinions, was particularly vocal about the issue. He tweeted, “Is it justifiable to insult a dignified family like Nagarjuna’s and Naga Chaitanya’s, who had nothing to do with this political conflict?”
RGV criticized Surekha’s remarks, calling them shocking and baseless. He expressed disbelief at how a minister could make such serious claims publicly without providing credible evidence. RGV also urged the film industry to unite and issue a strong warning to prevent similar incidents in the future.
కొండా సురేఖ సమంతకి క్షమాపణ చెప్పటమెంటి??? అక్కడ అత్యంత జుగుప్సాకరంగా అవమానించింది నాగార్జునని, నాగ చైతన్యని.. ఒక మామగారు, ఒక భర్త, ఒక కోడలిని , ఒక భార్యను, వాళ్లకి సంబంధించిన ఒక ఆస్తిని కాపాడుకోవడానికి ఫోర్స్తో పంపించడానికి ట్రై చేస్తే, తను విడాకులు ఇచ్చి వెళ్ళిపోయిందని చెప్పటం…
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) October 3, 2024
Other Celebrities React
Several other celebrities also came forward to show their support for Naga Chaitanya and Samantha while condemning Konda Surekha’s actions. Mahesh Babu expressed his anguish, tweeting, “I am deeply anguished by the unacceptable remarks and language used by a woman minister on another woman. This is deeply hurtful and goes against the values of mutual respect.”
Ravi Teja echoed similar sentiments, stating, “I’m appalled by a woman minister resorting to demonic tactics. Leaders should set a positive example and enhance societal values, not diminish them.” He strongly condemned dragging innocent individuals into political disputes.
Director Harish Shankar voiced his support for the film industry, saying, “Cinema and its contributors have always played a vital role in societal development. Attacking them for political gain is unacceptable.”
🔴🔴 @RahulGandhi Dear Sir, your minister Konda Surekha made basesless allegations in your “Mohobbath Kaa Dhukaan” regarding one of the biggest movie star @iamnagarjuna and his family and made doregatory comments about #Samantha #NagaChaitanya she also included @KTRBRS garu in… pic.twitter.com/bMWpAs6D9x
— Ravi Teja (@Brs_Teja) October 2, 2024
Read More: Fact Check: Did Konda Surekha apologize to Samantha via her official account?
