Pawan Kalyan-starrer film ‘Bheemla Nayak” released on Friday in theatres sending delirious fans of the actor-turned-politician into a tizzy.
At a few places, fans expressed displeasure over denial of permission by the government to cinema theatres to conduct ‘benefit’ shows of their hero. They demanded that theatres be allowed to screen special shows.
At Gudivada in Krishna district, Minister for Cinematography Perni Venkataramaiah and Civil Supplies Minister Kodali Nani were confronted by angry fans of Pawan Kalyan who raised slogans in support of the latter.
Jana Sena Party’s Gudivada segment in-charge Buragadda Srikanth, along his with supporters, was arrested by the police when he tried to move closer to the Ministers who had come to inaugurate a theatre which was to screen ‘Bheemla Nayak”.
He alleged that Mr. Pawan was being targeted by the State government which should not mix politics and cinema. They said they had come to make a representation to Minister Perni Venkataramaiah, but were arrested by the police.
The movie release also triggered a war of words between the leaders of the ruling YSR Congress Party and the Opposition Telugu Desam Party.
Naidu charge
TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu accused the government of imposing “politically motivated” restrictions on the film and said the cinema industry was being harassed under this government.
On his Twitter handle, Mr. Naidu tweeted saying that by ‘targeting individuals’, the government was ruining the entire film industry.
He found fault with the government ‘regulating’ the ticket prices of this particular movie, a charge stoutly denied by the Cinematography Minister Perni Venkataramaiah and Minister for Municipal Administration Botsa Satyanarayana.
At separate programmes, the two Ministers denounced the Opposition charge.
Mr. Venkataramaiah wondered if the Opposition party was blaming them for not allowing benefit shows that were clear violation of the rule book.
Speaking to media at party central office here, the Minister said the State government had issued G.O 35 to fix prices of movie tickets in theatres and that the prices were fixed based on the area, AC, non-AC , multiplex and other categories. He said some exhibitors had challenged the GO. 35 in High Court and the court had said that the Joint Collectors, who were the licensing authority, be allowed to fix rates in consultation with the stakeholders.
He questioned why exhibitors were not approaching the Joint Collectors to fix movie ticket prices and attributed the delay in issue of the G.O on fixing of the ticket prices to the sudden demise of Minister Mekapati Goutham Reddy. “It is unfortunate that vested interests are trying to politicise ithe issue,” he said.
Mr. Satyanarayana said the prices of the tickets were uniform for all films. “Rules cannot be changed from person to person,” he asserted, adding that if the film-makers felt that prices of tickets were low, they should have waited to release the film till a final decision was arrived on the pricing issue.
