RGV Goes To Police Over Threat By Activist

HYDERABAD, (IANS) – Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma on December 26 lodged an online complaint with Andhra Pradesh Police against activist Kolikapudi Sreenivas Rao for offering Rs 1 crore bounty on his head.

Varma alleged that Sreenivas Rao was “cleverly aided by anchor Samba of TV 5 channel who together facilitated him to repeat the contract killing on me 3 times”.

In another post, Varma revealed that he was officially launching a police complaint against Sreenivasa Rao, TV5 anchor Sambasiva Rao, and owner B. R. Naidu.

The filmmaker alleged that the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and its supremo N. Chandrababu Naidu’s representatives are publicly supportive of TV channels offering monetary contracts to cut people’s heads.

“If he is not condemned and kicked out publicly by them, contract killings will be recognized as official policy of TDP,” he said.

Sreenivasa Rao, a leader of Amaravati Joint Action Committee (JAC), offered the reward while lashing out at Varma for his upcoming movie “Vyooham”, which is said to be in support of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Varma had earlier slammed Chandrababu Naidu, TDP MLC Nara Lokesh and Jana Sena Party president and actor Pawan Kalyan for a protest outside his office in Hyderabad on “Vyooham”.

The film is about the conditions surrounding the passing of former (undivided) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy.

The TDP has filed a petition in the Telangana High Court challenging certificate for theatrical release of “Vyooham”, alleging attempts to spoil the image of Naidu in the controversial movie. The film is scheduled to be released on December 29.