Lakshmi's NTR effect: Naidu prevents RGV from entering Andhra

The maverick film maker Ram Gopal Varma is controversy’s favourite child. He has landed himself in a fresh row over his recent work Lakshmi’s NTR, a biopic on the matinee idol of Telugu cinema and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister NT Rama Rao.

The movie, which tells the story of NTR from the perspective of his second wife Lakshmi Parvathi, shows NTR’s son-in-law and the present Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in a poor light.

On Sunday, RGV, as the film maker is popularly known, was prevented by the AP police from entering the state and was detained at Gannavaram airport in Vijayawada. He was on his way to the coastal Andhra region to promote his film which was released in Telangana last month but is yet to hit the theatres in AP. The state high court had stayed its screening till the completion of elections.

With the elections being over in the state on April 11, the movie is expected to be released next month. The producer-director was detained at the airport for over seven hours before being sent back to Hyderabad. He was forced to cancel his press conference at Vijayawada on Sunday (April 28).

Furious over the development, RGV took to Twitter and unleashed a barrage of questions directed at the ruling Telugu Desam Party and the Chief Minister. “Where is the democracy? Why is the truth being back-stabbed?” he tweeted.

The expression “back-stabbing” has become part of Andhra’s political lexicon ever since NTR was dethroned in a political coup led by Chandrababu Naidu in August, 1995. The tumultuous drama in the first family of TDP that led to the split in the party and the eventual toppling of NTR forms the theme of RGV’s movie.

Political furore

The detention of RGV triggered political furore in the state. The opposition YSR Congress Party president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has thrown his weight behind the film maker and used the development to sharpen the attack on his bete noir Chandrababu Naidu, saying the TDP president has no respect for basic democratic values.

“Our democracy is in such a situation that we cannot hold a press meet in Vijayawada. Our policemen are being used like a pawn in this democracy. Chandrababu Garu, what wrong did Ram Gopal Varma do?” Jagan tweeted.

This prompted a quick word of appreciation from RGV who thanked the opposition leader for his support. “I really appreciate Jagan for condemning the arrogant and undemocratic action of the TDP government,” he tweeted. “The TDP government has clearly violated the fundamental rights of a citizen and is muzzling the voice of creativity,” the publicity convenor of YSRCP Vijay Chander said.

The Human Rights Forum (HRF) also condemned the police action against RGV and dubbed it as undemocratic and autocratic. The HRF convener G Rohit said that the police could have regulated the proceedings of the press meet that the film maker was scheduled to address instead of preventing him from holding it.

Police defend action

The state police justified the detention of the film maker on the ground that his press conference in Vijayawada had the potential to create a law and order problem.

Before leaving for Vijayawada, RGV had tweeted that he would hold the press meet “in the middle of the road at NTR circle”. “I extend an open invitation to media friends, true fans of NTR, everyone who is a little fond of me and the public who respects the truth to come be a part of this meeting,” he said. This was seen by the police as a provocative statement.

A strong posse of policemen was deployed at the airport where he was detained for hours before putting him on a return flight to Hyderabad.

Is it North Korea?

An angry RGV wondered whether people would require a visa to enter AP. “Is it North Korea? Is it being run by a dictator?” he questioned. “After being in politics for 40 years and a chief minister thrice, are you scared of the impact of a movie so much?” he taunted Naidu. “I understand that the police have a responsibility to take care of law and order. But I don’t understand why they are saying I can’t go to Vijayawada,” he said in a video statement.

Row over biopic

Ever since RGV announced his plans to make a biopic on NTR, the project has been mired in a controversy with the TDP leaders threatening to hit the streets if it portrayed Chandrababu Naidu in poor light.

Denying the allegation, the director maintained that his movie focused on some true incidents relating to NTR during his last days. The movie stars Rajsekhar Aningi as the main protagonist and Yagna Shetty as Lakshmi Parvathi.

Undeterred by the criticism from the ruling party functionaries, he has been promoting his film on social media through memes and troll videos. The movie’s theme song has touched the raw nerves of the TDP supporters as it talks about “betrayal, back-stabbing and conspiracies”, a reference to the political events of August, 1995 when Naidu led a revolt against his father-in-law and unseated him from power.

The film focuses on the final stages of NTR’s life when he was tormented by the rebellion within. Crest-fallen and heart-broken, NTR died a few months later. Lakshmi Parvathi’s alleged interference in the party affairs had led to the revolt and the subsequent split in the party.