Special Correspondent

Fans throng theatres despite Kavitha’s “non-cooperation” call

HYDERABAD: The call given by Telangana Jana Jagruti to boycott the Telugu film ‘Adhurs’ did not stop fans and people from queuing up to watch the Jr. NTR-starrer in a majority of the 150 theatres in Telangana on Wednesday.

Ms. Kavitha, daughter of Telangana Rashtra Samiti president K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who heads the outfit, had given a call for “non-cooperation” against `Adhurs’ on the plea that its producers were opposed to separate Telangana.

Yet, the film was released and screened in most of the region, barring Karimnagar, Warangal and Adilabad.

Managements of theatres in Kamareddy (Nizamabad district), Nakrekal (Nalgonda), Zaheerabad and Sadasivapet (Medak) and the entire Karimnagar and Adilabad district voluntarily decided against screening the film. TRS activists and students staged demonstrations in front of theatres in Nalgonda, Suryapet, Miryalguda and other towns.

They destroyed posters in Sircilla and Godavarikhani where the film was not screened.

A heavy police bandobast was provided outside the cinema theatres in Telangana where the film was screened. In some places, Jr. NTR’s fans entered into arguments with those who tried to obstruct the screening. In the twin cities, regular shows were held amid police presence.

There were reports of ‘housefull’ shows in the Andhra region.

A spokesman of Vaishnavi Arts Pvt. Ltd., which released the film in Telangana, said the film could not be screened in only a handful of theatres. Well-known film producer Thammareddy Bharadwaja said, “The reports about the film are positive and collections are good even in Nizam circuit (Telangana region). People liked the film and they are thronging the theatres,” he said.

APCC president D. Srinivas objected to disruption of screening of ‘Adhurs’ in Telangana.

Talking to reporters, he compared such actions to axing one’s own limbs. He said Telugu film icons late N.T. Rama Rao, Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Rama Naidu were instrumental in bringing the Telugu film industry to Hyderabad and it was not proper to create a scare in the industry.

TDP leader Talasani Srinivas Yadav described the TRS’ action as a blot on Telangana culture which was known for tolerance and accommodativeness.

It was not proper to target a film. They could protest only when there was a derogatory reference to the region, its people or culture.

Senior TDP leader Nagam Janardhan Reddy clarified that the Telangana Joint Action Committee had not given any call for boycott of the film.

He wanted the TRS president to control his party cadre.

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