Is Tollywood trying to derail Sri Reddy's issue?

Sri Reddy’s casting couch outing of the Telugu film industry seems to have all the bigwigs on tenterhooks. The topic has even superseded the movement for special status to Andhra Pradesh. While everyone agrees that the casting couch is a problem in the industry, they are saying that it is not right to tarnish the entire industry.

Recently, however, Sri Reddy’s movement seems to have been derailed, with many other issues riding on her expose. Two days ago, Ram Gopal Varma confessed in a video that it was he who instigated Sri Reddy to speak against Pawan Kalyan. He even said that he had offered Rs 5 crore to Sri Reddy on behalf of Suresh Babu to not proceed against his son, Abhiram. Then Naga Babu came out issuing a warning to anyone criticising the Mega family.  Actress Jeevitha has sued women’s activist Sandhya for accusing her on a TV channel. Then top director Koratala Siva issued a statement saying he was shocked to see his name feature in the Sri Reddy leaks. Producer Puppala Ramesh, too, asked for proof in Sri Reddy’s leaks. Top writer Kona Venkat has now asked for a thorough police enquiry into Sri Reddy’s allegations.

It is easy to say that there is a casting couch in the industry, but you can’t generalise. You have to prove it. The Movie Artiste Association (MAA) should take a call and try to bring this issue to an end — Vishal Reddy, president, Tamil Movie Artiste Association

It looks like everyone is looking at cashing in on the expose, seeking publicity with their statements and in the process burying Sri Reddy’s original issue six feet under.

Tamil Movie Artiste Association president Vishal Reddy said the controversy was adversely affecting the industry. “It is easy to say that there is a casting couch in the industry, but you can’t generalise. You have to prove it. The Movie Artiste Association (MAA) should take a call and try to bring this issue to an end,” says Vishal. “I agree that Sri Reddy is being very brave in making the allegations, but she is pointing fingers at the entire industry, which is wrong,” he says. He said if she presented proof, she would get all the support. “Recently, actress Amala Paul spoke out on the same issue and we supported her and even filed a police complaint on her behalf,” says Vishal.