Hyderabad, September 21 Megastar Chiranjeevi’s Praja Rajyam party does not seem to be growing out of its teething problems. Enthusiastic supporters, political leaders and retired Government servants who want to join the party are turning around, disappointed and disillusioned by the lack of structure and leadership in the party.
To top it, Chiranjeevi, as a politician, suffered a major jolt when he failed to get his panel elected on his homeground — the Movie Artistes’ Association (MAA) — for which elections were held last week. This is just one-and-a-half months after his mentor and brother-in-law, film producer Allu Aravind, also lost the election for the president’s post of the Andhra Pradesh Film Chamber of Commerce, held on July 27.
Politics and Telugu film industry have been closely linked long before legendary actor N T Rama Rao launched the Telugu Desam Party, and elections to film industry bodies and unions are closely contested by rival film stars or their panels supported by political parties.
Elections are a matter of prestige and power at MAA, the representative arm of the powerful Telugu film industry also known as Tollywood, and are held every two years. Thus, it is significant that Chiranjeevi’s panel was totally routed in the elections. Not only did the panel supported by Chiranjeevi lose the vital post of president, none of the panel members were elected to the MAA executive body. It is a loss of face for the actor as his younger brother, Nagendra Babu, held the post of president in the last term.
Veteran actor-turned-producer Murali Mohan, supported by the Telugu Desam Party, was elected president of the MAA defeating actor Vijay Chandra who was supported by Chiranjeevi. Murali Mohan polled 244 votes while Vijay Chandra got 116 votes. Actress Jayasudha was unanimously elected vice-president.
“There was a growing feeling in the industry that Chiranjeevi and his family only nurtured themselves and did not care to work for the benefit of the large workforce of the Telugu film industry. In contrast, an equally popular actor like N T Rama Rao had the total support of the industry — because of him, the industry benefited tremendously,” says a member who got elected to the MAA executive. “In fact, Chiranjeevi’s brother Nagendra Babu, who was president for the last two years, was aware of the growing unpopularity of the family in the industry,” he observes.
The elections to both the MAA and the AP Film Chamber of...
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-->Commerce also brought to the fore the intense rivalry between the various caste factions in the industry. The Kapu community-dominated Chiranjeevi panels were outwitted by the Kamma caste and other caste factions.
Since he launched his party on August 26, Chiranjeevi has experienced a string of disappointments. Except for a few discards from other parties, no leader of stature has joined his party so far in spite of a call given by the megastar. The party was, however, upbeat about T Chandra Sekhar, Maharashtra-cadre IAS officer who resigned as chief of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority to join Chiranjeevi.
After meeting Chiranjeevi, the ex-IAS officer who hails from Guntur district, said that he felt the film star was committed to social justice and the welfare of poor and therefore, he wanted to join him
To top it, Chiranjeevi, as a politician, suffered a major jolt when he failed to get his panel elected on his homeground — the Movie Artistes’ Association (MAA) — for which elections were held last week. This is just one-and-a-half months after his mentor and brother-in-law, film producer Allu Aravind, also lost the election for the president’s post of the Andhra Pradesh Film Chamber of Commerce, held on July 27.
Politics and Telugu film industry have been closely linked long before legendary actor N T Rama Rao launched the Telugu Desam Party, and elections to film industry bodies and unions are closely contested by rival film stars or their panels supported by political parties.
Elections are a matter of prestige and power at MAA, the representative arm of the powerful Telugu film industry also known as Tollywood, and are held every two years. Thus, it is significant that Chiranjeevi’s panel was totally routed in the elections. Not only did the panel supported by Chiranjeevi lose the vital post of president, none of the panel members were elected to the MAA executive body. It is a loss of face for the actor as his younger brother, Nagendra Babu, held the post of president in the last term.
Veteran actor-turned-producer Murali Mohan, supported by the Telugu Desam Party, was elected president of the MAA defeating actor Vijay Chandra who was supported by Chiranjeevi. Murali Mohan polled 244 votes while Vijay Chandra got 116 votes. Actress Jayasudha was unanimously elected vice-president.
“There was a growing feeling in the industry that Chiranjeevi and his family only nurtured themselves and did not care to work for the benefit of the large workforce of the Telugu film industry. In contrast, an equally popular actor like N T Rama Rao had the total support of the industry — because of him, the industry benefited tremendously,” says a member who got elected to the MAA executive. “In fact, Chiranjeevi’s brother Nagendra Babu, who was president for the last two years, was aware of the growing unpopularity of the family in the industry,” he observes.
The elections to both the MAA and the AP Film Chamber of...
Discuss this story on Indian Express forums
-->Commerce also brought to the fore the intense rivalry between the various caste factions in the industry. The Kapu community-dominated Chiranjeevi panels were outwitted by the Kamma caste and other caste factions.
Since he launched his party on August 26, Chiranjeevi has experienced a string of disappointments. Except for a few discards from other parties, no leader of stature has joined his party so far in spite of a call given by the megastar. The party was, however, upbeat about T Chandra Sekhar, Maharashtra-cadre IAS officer who resigned as chief of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority to join Chiranjeevi.
After meeting Chiranjeevi, the ex-IAS officer who hails from Guntur district, said that he felt the film star was committed to social justice and the welfare of poor and therefore, he wanted to join him
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