DOPE SHAME FOR TOLLYWOOD AGAIN
With actor Varun Sandesh’s name being dragged into the latest drug bust by city cops, Tollywood is once again making headlines for all the wrong reasons
Abhishek Raje
Google the words “drug bust” and the first few entries that show up are links related to Tollywood’s involvement in drug rackets. Names of T’wood personalities have surfaced in every drug-racket that was busted in the last one-and-a-half years, be it for drug peddling or drug abuse.
Tollywood is left red-faced yet again, with actor Varun Sandesh’s name being spilled by Dr Siddharth Rao, who along with Nigerian national James alias Fedrick, was apprehended on Friday for being in possession of cocaine. The names of director Uppalapati Ravi and actor Avinash also popped up. Though Varun pleads innocence and is willing to be put through any test to prove the same and Siddharth has retracted his initial statement, the actor’s fate now depends on the polygraph tests and investigations carried out by cops.
THE DARK UNDERBELLY
Insiders admit that cocaine is proving to be young Tollywood’s biggest poison. While they once uninhibitedly snorted lines and popped pills at nightclubs, especially those owned by their T’wood friends, now the actors exercise more caution in public. Instead, the ‘party’ has shifted to exclusive filmy dos, where they are away from scrutiny. With consumption of drugs now restricted to T’wood parties that only have celebs in attendance, nabbing offenders is not an easy task. DCP M. Stephen Raveendra, West Zone, Crime, informs, “Actors who are doing drugs, do it at their homes or private parties. Also, they directly procure the substances from the source and not via middlemen. Only the circles involved know. But we are watching a few celebs.”
CRACKING THE WHIP
Coke addicts may have smartened up, but the cops are working doubly hard to beat them at their own game. “We have divided offenders into groups — P3 socialites, antisocial elements and Tollywood celebrities. We have men keeping a vigil on each group. We have also met students of the Foreign Student Association and asked them to do their bit and pass on any information.”
T’WOOD FEELS TARGETED
With no one able to deny that there is a thriving drug scene in Tollywood’s dark underbelly any longer, the film industry has huddled together once again, as its image takes a beating for the umpteenth time. Says producer-filmmaker, Tammareddy Bharadwaj, “Politicos and businessmen are offenders too. But only filmi names are dragged into controversy. I do not deny Tollywood celebs are involved, but it is not right to only focus on them. Out of the 20-odd names that a peddler reveals, only the actor’s name is sensationalized, making it seem like Tollywood stars are the only culprits. Why aren’t the other 19 names made public?”
ONCE TOO OFTEN
In Feb 2010, 20 kgs of ephedrine were seized from producer K V Rao in Jubilee Hills. In June 2010, cops busted a drug racket linked to Tollywood after they nabbed two Ugandian nationals. In August 2010,brothers of popular Telugu actor Ravi Teja, B Raghu Raju and B Bharath Raju were arrested along with a businessman for buying cocaine from Clement alias Victor,a Nigerian national. In Feb 2011, producer Murali, who is filmmaker Jeevitha Rajasekhar’s brother, was arrested along with two others for allegedly buying cocaine from a Nigerian. On April 1, 2011, police arrested a Sudanese national and seized 10 grams of cocaine from his possession in Filmnagar.
ALLU ARAVIND, FILMMAKER
HEROES CANNOT BE
RECKLESS AND NEED TO BE CAREFUL WITH THEIR ACTIONS BECAUSE FANS IDOLIZE THEM. WHILE MEDIA HAS TO EXERCISE DISCRETION WHILE TARNISHING A STAR’S FUTURE, THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THOSE FOUND GUILTY. I STRONGLY CONDEMN IT EVEN AS I HAVE FOUR ACTORS IN MY FAMILY.
SURESH BABU, PRODUCER
UNFORTUNATELY,THE SOCIETY LOVES TO HEAR SCANDALS ABOUT FILM STARS,POLITICIANS AND SPORTS STARS ONLY. NO ONE IS BOTHERED ABOUT A REGULAR PERSON WHO BUYS DRUGS ON THE STREET. IT IS THE PRICE PUBLIC FIGURES LIKE MOVIE STARS PAY.YOU GAIN SOME,YOU LOSE SOME.
SHARWANAND, ACTOR
VARUN SANDESH IS A GOOD FRIEND.
HOWEVER,I HAVE NO CLUE ABOUT HIS PERSONAL LIFE AND WHETHER HIS INVOLVEMENT IN DRUGS IS TRUE OR NOT. BUT IF SOMEONE HAS DONE SOMETHING WRONG,THE MEDIA HAS THE RIGHT TO TAKE UP THE ISSUE. HOWEVER,WHY ARE ONLY TOLLYWOOD STARS ARE TARGETED. EVERYONE KNOWS EVEN TEENAGERS ARE ADDICTS AND THAT IS THE BIGGER ISSUE WHEN COMPARED TO ONE-ODD STARS. BUT ONLY WE GET BLAMED.
Varun Sandesh
100 % love hit aano????????????//
Kanchana turns out be a Super Hit in Ceeded
The Latest Sensation, Kanchana is truly rocking the Boxoffice in Andhra Pradesh. The film Collected around 1.1Crore in its 1st Week in Ceeded Territory of AP. The film collected 23Lakhs from the District of Chittoor ( Ceeded ) alone from 11 Centres Released. Siddheswara Films Released the Film here and they are expected to recover their entire investment in 10 Days ( by Yesterday ).
With the arrival of Kanchana, Badrinath is worst hit with all of its running Centres being ended up in Deficits from 6th Week.
Release Dates : Its Kandireega vs Dhada for Aug 12
July
29 Sega ( Tam Dub ) ( Direct )
29 Sanchalanam
29 Cowboys & Aliens ( Eng Dub ) ( Direct )
29 Kireetam
29 Paravasamai Ne Premalo
29 Bala Surya ( Tam Dub )
August
05 Rise of The Apes ( Eng Dub )
11 Na Peru Siva ( Tam Dub )
12 Kandireega
12 Urimi ( Mal Dub )
12 Dhada
19 Mugguru
26 Dhookudu ( earliest, or 31st or Sep 9 )
Keratam
Madatha Kaja
Solo
September/October
Surya - Murugadoss Film ( Tamil Dub ) ( Direct )
Sep 29 Oosaravelli
Oct 6 Sriramarajyam
Shadow
Bezawada Rowdilu
Rajanna
Oh! My Friend
November/December
Dec Rachcha
Dec 22 Rebel
January 2012
11/12 NTR - Boyapati
12 The Business Man
12/13 Gabbar Singh