Star fans' ad war makes police nervous

KURNOOL: The Kurnool police are at the end of their tether trying to keep fans of film stars Chiranjeevi and Balakrishna from getting at each other''s throats.
With the former star''s Indra and the latter''s Chennakesava Reddy playing in theatres at the same time, their fans here are engaged in a war of oneupmanship, singing the praises of their hero''s virtues and mocking the lack of any such in the other.This has turned into a serious law and order problem in this town.
Rival fans are trying to outdo the other group in celebrating the success of their hero''s film. In the past week, fans released newspaper ads claiming their favourite hero''s film to be a historic hit and making ugly comments about the rival star.
When Chennakesava Reddy completed 50 days of screening, Balakrishna fans sacrificed 100 sheep and male buffalo in Rayalaseema.
Nearly 50 sheep were sacrificed at Dhone,Kodumuru, Adoni and Yemmiganuru each. Police registered a case against the fans for sacrificing a buffalo at Adoni in Kurnool district.
When Chiranjeevi''s Indra completed 100 days, fans organised a big celebration, crowing that its success at 122 centres was a record in the history of Telugu cinema. This was meant for the ears of Balakrishna fans whose earlier hit Narasimha Naidu held the previous record with a successful run at 105 centres. It was Balakrishna fans who fired
the first salvo in this war of adulation. When Chennakesava Reddy completed 50 days, they released an advertisement in a Telugu daily which claimed the movie was being screened at 158 theatres and challenged Chiranjeevi fans to break the record. Indra had completed 50 days in only 156 theatres.
The Balakrishna fans sniggered that Chiranjeevi fans paid theatre owners to continue to screen their hero''s movie although it was not running to empty houses. The next day, Chiranjeevi fans too took out an ad in the same newspaper, making similar allegations against Balakrishna fans. Soon enough the language turned foul.
Anticipating trouble if this went on any longer, DSP V Satyanarayana called the rival groups together and brokered a truce.