Tollywood tussle ends in peace as producer tenders apology

HYDERABAD: Telugu film producer Bellamkonda Suresh who is in the dock for allegedly assaulting director Santosh Srinivas on Thursday gave a written apology to the Telugu Film Directors Association (TFDA)
Though Suresh had stoutly denied assaulting the director, he eventually sent in his apology. This when it became clear that the directors association was unwillingly to compromise on the ‘self-respect’ of film directors.In fact, the alleged physical assault on Srinivas by Bellamkonda Suresh threatened to snowball into a major controversy with the TFDA going ahead and issuing a letter to the A P Film Industry Employees Federation not to cooperate with the producer. This practically amounted to a total ban on Bellamkonda Suresh and the directors association also refused to do films with him.
The issue also threatened to create bad blood between the Telugu Film Producers Council (TFPC) and TFDA. The producers council has also been sent a copy of the letter informing it of the spat between Suresh and Srinivas. Sources, however, said that the producers preferred a coordination committee comprising producers and directors to settle the matter instead of the TFDA taking any unilateral decision.
It is learnt that Bellamkonda Suresh appeared before the executive committee of the directors association on Wednesday evening and denied having beaten up director Srinivas. What, however, angered the directors association was Bellamkonda Suresh’s attitude towards the entire issue. “We had given the producer some time to send in a written apology and he did send it today,” said TFDA vice-president Dr L Srinath. Suresh, however, still stuck to his stance that he did not beat up the director but said since the argument with him had hurt the directors association, he was tendering an unconditional apology.
It may be mentioned here that on May 7, director Santosh Srinivas made a complaint to TFDA alleging that producer Bellamkonda Suresh, for whom he is directing a film, had manhandled him after he had refused to change the script of the movie. Srinivas had delivered a hit ‘Kandireega’ for the producer last year and they were shooting for the sequel to the film. “My creativity will suffer if a producer intimidates me into toeing a particular line,” Srinivas had reportedly told the directors’ association. It is, however, learnt that a coordination committee comprising producers and directors will decide whether it is right for Srinivas to leave a project midway.
As the issue between the producers body and directors association was threatening to snowball into a major issue, it is learnt that Dasari Narayana Rao initially tried to intervene in the matter and settle it but has now given up the idea. What, however, remains to be seen now is whether director Santosh Srinivas will continue to work for the ongoing project of Bellamkonda Srinivas.