Tollywood stays cold to Jagan Mohan Reddy

Vijayawada: Tollywood seems to be ignoring the newly elected Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. Its leading lights have failed to meet and greet him so far even though he assumed office on May 30, allegedly as he does not belong to the social group which dominates the film industry.

Tollywood sources say that there lies a minimum courtesy on the part of top film personalities to meet the Chief Minister and submit a series of proposals on how to promote the industry in Andhra Pradesh so that he would respond in a positive manner.

Tollywood is controlled by members of the Kamma community while those from other castes like Kapu have their share of power. A  majority of top film-makers and leading actors hail from the Kamma community while actor K. Chiranjeevi and his family from the Kapu community is another power centre in the film industry.

Sources said that as the Chief Minister belonged to the ‘Reddy’ community, the film industry was trying to avoid him. The film personalities allegedly favour TD president and former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu as he belongs to their community.

Film industry sources flayed Tollywood for showing such discrimination towards the Chief Minister. There is still no word in the industry on when the leading personalities are planning to meet Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy and seeking his support to develop the industry.

A Tollywood critic clai-med that in case the TD government had retained power in the elections and Mr Naidu continued as Chief Minister for a second consecutive term, by this time, Tollywood led by the top personalities would have organised a big bash to felicitate him, apart from queuing up to meet him.

Some film industry personalities opine that as the industry requires a lot of support from the state government with regard to development of infrastructure, provision of financial incentives, tax relaxations and other benefits to promote it in a big way, ignoring the Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy on caste lines is unwarranted.

A top Tollywood personality told Deccan Chronicle after seeking anonymity, “It is very unfair on the part of the Telugu film industry to ignore the newly elected CM because of caste.”

He pointed out that even though the prosperous Kamma community dominates the industry, no infrastructure will be developed for the industry unless the state government extends it wholehearted support

“We appeal to them to shed their caste consideration and meet Chief Minister and seek the support for promotion of the film industry,” he said.