Director Anil Ravipudi is currently making headlines for his upcoming film 'Venky Anil 5'. However, a controversy has erupted during its official launch. A video from the film's traditional muhurat ceremony in Hyderabad has gone viral on social media, drawing sharp criticism toward veteran Telugu filmmaker K. Raghavendra Rao for his conduct with the leading actresses of the movie.
The Event at Hyderabad
On Thursday, a grand muhurat ceremony was held in Hyderabad for 'Venky Anil 5'. Directed by Anil Ravipudi, the film features Venkatesh Daggubati, Nandamuri Kalyanram, Keerthy Suresh, and Krithi Shetty in pivotal roles. The event was attended by several big names from the Telugu film industry, including producer Allu Aravind, who gave the first clap, Suresh Babu, and Dil Raju. Veteran director K. Raghavendra Rao was also present as a guest, and a clip featuring him from the event has now sparked a massive debate online.
What Sparked the Controversy?
In the viral footage, the 84-year-old filmmaker is seen coordinating the actors' positions for a photo or scene. While doing so, he grabs Keerthy Suresh by her arm and pulls her toward him. Moments later, he repeats the gesture with Krithi Shetty. He continues to hold their arms while directing Venkatesh and Kalyanram on how they should place their hands on the actresses' shoulders. As soon as the video surfaced on the internet, many users called out the veteran director for crossing his limits.
Public Backlash and Divided Reactions
The footage has drawn strong condemnation from social media users. Many accused the director of touching the actresses without their consent. One user commented, asking why the elderly filmmaker always tries to touch female actors. Another user remarked that he needs to know his boundaries and that these actresses are not his property. Critics questioned who gave him the right to handle women in such a manner. On the other hand, some individuals defended the director, arguing that he was merely instructing them on camera positioning and meant no harm.
Previous Controversy with Niharika Konidela Resurfaces
As this video gained traction, a previous incident involving the filmmaker was brought up by netizens. A few months ago, another video of K. Raghavendra Rao went viral, where he was seen holding Niharika Konidela by her waist. Niharika appeared visibly uncomfortable in the clip, removing his hand before moving behind him to pose. The resurfacing of this older video has intensified the ongoing criticism against the veteran director's recurring behavior.
