Reddy names cut from Telugu director Trivikram's film A Aa

Hyderabad: Telugu director Trivikram Srinivas has withdrawn dialogues and names of characters that allegedly hurt sentiments of the Reddy Community in the film A Aa.

The film went in for re-certification after over a week at the cinemas. Much of the trouble started with the names of two characters in the movie. The references and the names have been muted after re-certification.

According to sources, the film had portrayed Shakalaka Shankar as a thief named Pratap Reddy and his father as “Bal Reddy of Banjara Hills”. The same has been muted after recertification from the Censor Board here.

Based on representation by the Reddy Jana Sangham and intervention by state home minister Nayani Narasimha Reddy, the makers got the film recertified by the Censor Board.

Sources within Tollywood said that the Reddy Jana Sangam had lodged complaint with Central Board of Film Certification, Hyderabad region, two days after the film was released. The film had an earlier release date of June 1.

A spokesperson for director Trivikram said, “In the first week, digital prints went with the character of a thief named after Pratap Reddy. After objections and representations, we have removed the name and references.

“As they were digital prints distributed after certification, we couldn’t do anything as they are usually locked for a week. We have now resent all theatres screening the film, the digital prints with the cuts. Factually speaking, there is nothing negative against the community, it is only two names.”