Andhra-Wala Label for Allu Arjun Sparks Debate in Telangana Film Industry
Allu Arjun faces backlash for being labeled an "Andhra-Wala" as tensions rise within the Telangana film industry.
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The Telangana government is aiming to boost Hyderabad’s global profile by attracting Hollywood and more Bollywood production houses to the city, said Chief Minister M. Revanth Reddy to Telugu film industry leaders on Thursday.
This comes amid controversy surrounding Telugu superstar Allu Arjun, with some Congress party leaders calling him an "Andhra-wala" who should be more mindful of his position in Telangana.
Over a decade after the formation of Telangana, regional tensions have resurfaced in Hyderabad, a city home to many people from Andhra and Rayalaseema, including the Allu family.
The recent stampede at the Pushpa 2 premiere at Sandhya Theatre has added fuel to these tensions. Some voices in Telangana, including from the statehood agitation stronghold Osmania University (OU), are calling for the Andhra-dominated Telugu film industry to move to Visakhapatnam.
At a press conference on Wednesday, former OU law faculty dean Gali Vinod Kumar criticised Arjun for not visiting the family of M. Revathi, a Telangana native who died in the stampede, or her son, who is still in critical condition. He also condemned Arjun for not offering adequate compensation until OU students vandalised his home.
Arjun, who had initially pledged Rs 25 lakh to the family, increased his contribution to Rs 1 crore on Wednesday. The Pushpa director, B. Sukumar, and producers Mythri Movie Makers also donated Rs 50 lakh each.
