Hyderabad: Telangana Minister Konda Surekha has sparked controversy following her comments linking the divorce of actors Naga Chaitanya and Samantha Ruth Prabhu to BRS Chief KT Rama Rao. The minister’s statements have drawn strong criticism from the film industry, with several prominent actors rallying in support of the couple.

South Indian superstar Allu Arjun expressed his support for the couple, stating, "I strongly condemn the baseless derogatory comments made about film personalities and film families. This behaviour is deeply disrespectful and goes against the values of our Telugu culture. Such irresponsible actions should not be accepted as normal. I urge the parties involved to act more responsibly and respect individual privacy, especially towards women. We must promote respect and dignity in society as a whole."

Actor Chiranjeevi also expressed his dismay, stating, "I am extremely pained to see the disgraceful remarks made by an honourable woman minister. It is a shame that celebs and members of the film fraternity become soft targets as they provide instant reach and attention. We, as the Film Industry, stand united in opposing such vicious verbal assaults on our members. No one should stoop to this level for scoring political points by dragging unconnected people and, more so, women into their political slugfest and making distasteful fictional allegations. We choose our leaders to make society a better place, not to contaminate it by lowering the discourse. Politicians and people in honourable positions should set better examples. I trust the concerned will make amends and withdraw these malicious remarks immediately."

BJP leader and actress Khusbhu Sundar also weighed in, saying, "I thought it was only those who need 2-minute fame and indulge in yellow journalism who spoke this language. But here, I see an absolute disgrace to womanhood. Konda Surekha garu, I am sure some values were instilled in you. Where have they flown out of the window? A person in a responsible position cannot make such baseless, appalling, and degrading statements about my industry, my place of worship. The cinema industry will not be a mute spectator to such abuse anymore. Enough is enough. You have to apologise, as a woman to another woman, to the entire movie industry for such baseless and false allegations. Democracy in India is not a one-way traffic, but we shall refrain from stooping to your level."

Jr NTR added his voice to the chorus, stating, "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 film industry. We will not sit quietly while others make baseless allegations against us. We should rise above this and maintain respect for each other’s boundaries. Let’s ensure our society does not normalise such reckless behaviour in democratic India."

Actor Nani condemned the remarks as well, saying, "Disgusting to see politicians thinking that they can get away with talking any kind of nonsense. When your words can be so irresponsible, it’s stupid of us to expect that you will have any responsibility for your people. It’s not just about actors or cinema. This is not about any political party. It is not okay for someone in such a respectable position to talk such utter baseless rubbish in front of the media and think that it is okay. We all should condemn such practices, which will reflect poorly on our society."

What’s the controversy

The controversy erupted after Konda Surekha claimed that Naga Chaitanya's divorce from Samantha was because of KT Rama Rao. She claimed that Rama Rao when he was a minister used to tap the phones of the actresses and then find their weaknesses to blackmail them... He used to make them drug addicts and then do this, she alleged.

Samantha responded to the controversy, asserting that her divorce was a "personal matter”. In an Instagram story, she clarified that the separation was "mutual consent and amicable”, urging people to stop speculating about her personal life. 

Naga Chaitanya and his family have also strongly criticised the minister for her remarks.