Hyderabad: A day after authorities sent notices to 10 prominent Tollywood people, including film stars and a popular director, on drug abuse, the government appears to want to go slow on the matter, preferring to let the industry discipline itself for now. Secretariat sources said the government had given Tollywood a strict warning to “set things right”.
The Excise department’s investigation had revealed that some film stars were making visits to Tamil Nadu and Goa for drugs. While Telangana chose not to out their names, the sources said the government had warned the stars saying, “What will happen if Chennai or Goa police arrest them and reveal their names?” It had warned the stars that it would not tolerate future incidents.
The sources said the government had given the industry a chance to avoid severe action.
Producer Allu Arvind corroborated the secretariat sources, saying that there would be no “sensational arrests” as the Excise department was dealing with the matter “smoothly”.
The Movie Artistes’ Association (MAA) held a press conference to contain the damage, but sources said it was done at the behest of a minister.
Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav, however, denied pressuring the industry. MAA organised the press meet voluntarily to reduce the damage to the industry. We did not insist on it,” he said.
Actors served notices to be quizzed at secret location
The list of prominent personalities of Tollywood who are involved in the drug racket has been increasing over the days. Sources said that a heroine who is not from Telangana but usually visits Hyderabad city to consume drugs, and a director from the city who visits Chennai frequently for the same purpose, are among those who got notices.
This director contacted Calvin once, but another prominent director is regularly in touch with Calvin and his gang through his personal assistant. Some young heroes and character artistes, including a singer’s husband and a director-turned-hero, were also in contact with Calvin.
Sources also said that the film personalities will be questioned at an undisclosed place so that their identities remain secret for the time being.
