Actor Vishnu Manchu vs hairdresser Naga Srinu: The slugfest gets messier

The curious case of actor

Vishnu Manchu

’s “stolen make-up kit” worth `5 lakh has snowballed into something much larger, much nastier. A day after the president of Movie Artistes Association filed a case at the Jubilee Hills Police Station against his former hairdresser, alleging that he suspected him of “stealing” a fancy makeup kit and
absconding, the man in question,

Naga Srinu

, surfaced on the Internet with his version of the story. And he’s been breaking the Internet ever since with some really shocking allegations. I’m not a thief! I asked for a raise and they humiliated me using casteist slurs.

Fed up, I quit: Naga Srinu
On Monday,

hairdresser Naga Srinu

released a video online alleging that Vishnu Manchu and his father, Mohan Babu humiliated and threatened him, and made him kneel down in his office as punishment! “I have been working with the Manchu family for the last 10 years and have always been very loyal to them. Two months ago, when I had asked for a raise, Mohan Babu sir called me to his cabin, made me kneel down and started abusing me. He even used a casteist slur to insult me. I kept quiet because he’s a powerful man and I’ve always looked up to him as a father figure. However, Mohan Babu and Vishnu Manchu have been constantly insulting and unable to take it anymore, I decided to quit my job on February 17,” Naga Srinu said. He adds, “Since I quit my job, they are now accusing me of stealing their makeup kit. I don’t know what lengths the Manchu family will go to, to get back at me. I’m just a humble barber and want to be left alone.”

Naga Srinu is now going to file a case in the Hyderabad High Court for protection against arrest. Advocate Kalyan Dileep Sunkara, who’s representing Naga Srinu, tells Hyderabad Times, “It is unacceptable to use such casteist slurs. Mohan Babu and Vishnu Manchu have insulted and threatened my client when he decided to quit his job. Srinu’s mother is suffering from chronic issues and he decided to start his own hair dressing studio, which is why he quit his job. Now, the Manchu family is falsely accusing him of theft. I’m filing a quash petition under 482 CrPC in the High Court tomorrow.”

Utterly baseless! We sent him for training to the US, paid for his mother’s treatment: Manchu family
Meanwhile, the Manchu family has denied all allegations made against them, calling them “utterly baseless”. Speaking to Hyderabad Times, Gajendra, Vishnu

Manchu

’s cousin, says, “It is laughable to accuse Mohan Babu of being casteist. All his children married people belonging to different castes. He has always been forward-thinking. As for insulting the hairdresser, on the contrary, we sent him to the US for training and even paid for his mother’s treatment. All allegations made by Srinu are baseless. They are nothing but political games being played by people with vested interests.”

Sources close to the Manchu family have long been insinuating that their rivals from the film industry are out to pull them down ever since Vishnu Manchu won the MAA Election and became president. Naga Srinu is just a pawn in the hands of those who want to play dirty politics, they claim. “We know which powerful film family is behind this, but we won’t take names. Neither will Vishnu react to this silly allegation. He will take the legal route. As for those who want to pull him down, we want to tell them these cheap tactics won’t affect us,” said an aide close to Vishnu.