Telugu superstar Nandamuri Balakrishna is facing significant backlash on social media after a video surfaced of him pushing actress Anjali on stage during an event.
Balakrishna was the chief guest at a pre-release event for Anjali’s upcoming movie ‘Gangs of Godavari,’ which also stars Vishwak Sen and Neha Shetty. The video, which has gone viral on Reddit, shows Balakrishna pushing Anjali away after she didn’t hear what he said.
Neha Shetty, Anjali’s co-star, appeared visibly shocked by Balakrishna’s behaviour. However, Anjali took the incident in stride and laughed it off. The exact words exchanged before the push remain unclear.
Appalling behaviour by Balakrishna and an understandable reaction by the junior artist who laughed it off, but the most horrifying part of this video is the crowd’s reaction to a blatant act of assault, cheering and hooting in approval.
— Siddharth (@DearthOfSid) May 29, 2024
Anjali is well-known for her performance oriented roles in several popular Tamil and Telugu films, including ‘Angaadi Theru,’ ‘Engaeyum Eppothum,’ ‘Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu,’ and ‘Geethanjali.’
While Anjali seemed unfazed by the incident, netizens have expressed their outrage, criticising Balakrishna for his “disrespectful” treatment of women.
One user commented, “It’s crazy how so many people give him a free pass by saying things like ‘it’s just Balayya.’” Another added, “A talented actress treated with such disrespect.”
Balakrishna shared he doesn’t want his son to…
At the same event, Balakrishna shared that he doesn’t want his son, aspiring actor Mokshagna, to follow in his exact footsteps. “I don’t want him to be inspired by me, although my fans might be disappointed with my decision,” he said.
He added that Mokshagna’s debut is highly anticipated, and he will support him like a rock, but he wishes for his son to carve his own path. “I want my son to take a cue from new-generation actors,” Balakrishna stated.
Despite this, Balakrishna asserted that he can still keep up with younger actors like Siddhu Jonnalagadda and Adivi Sesh, and even give them a run for their money. “I am in no mood to give up,” he quipped.
Currently, Balakrishna is enjoying success with major hits like ‘Akhanda’ and ‘Veerasimha Reddy.’ He is also planning to collaborate with director Boyapati Srinu for ‘Akhanda 2.’
