Don’t drag our industry into your politics: Tollywood producers tell Pawan Kalyan

After distancing themselves from Tollywood star Pawan Kalyan’s criticism of the Andhra Pradesh government over issues pertaining to the film industry, several industry bigwigs met with AP’s I&PR Minister

Perni Nani

at Machilipatnam on Wednesday. In the meeting, Tollywood producers such as Dil Raju,

Sunil Narang

, DVV Danayya and Naveen Yerneni, assured the minister that Pawan Kalyan doesn’t speak for the entire industry and that they are ready to cooperate with the government.

The meeting lasted for more than an hour and the minister said that he will take up the issues with the chief minister and expressed confidence that things will be resolved soon. “When we have been in talks with the producers from the film industry, it is unfortunate that Pawan Kalyan has made such remarks against the AP government. Even Chiranjeevi called me up and clarified that Pawan Kalyan’s comments were unfortunate and that they do not reflect the collective opinion of the film industry in any way. He also said that he trusts our government to make the right decision on all the issues pertaining to the film industry,” said Perni Nani, adding, “Once Chiranjeevi completes his shooting in Ooty, I will be meeting him again and we will take our discussions forward. We urge everybody to have some patience.”

Producer Dil Raju, who was also at the meeting with the minister, washed his hands off Pawan Kalyan’s statement. “I urge politicians to not drag movies into their politics. We have been discussing our issues with the AP government and they have always been in our favour. Dragging our industry into politics will cause further damage to our industry, which has already been damaged due to the pandemic. I believe that government will fully support us in the near future,” Dil Raju said. Incidentally, Dil Raju was one of the guests at the event where Pawan criticised the AP government.

I spoke up because producers shared their concerns with me, I’m not doing this for fun: Pawan Kalyan
Meanwhile, Pawan Kalyan clarified that he only spoke up because several producers and directors from the film industry came to him with their issues. “Only after several producers, directors and actors approached me and raised their concern, I decided to speak up. Naakemaina sarada na ee issues meeda maatladadaaniki? (I’m not doing this for fun). How the industry takes this forward with the AP government is up to them. I decided to speak up because many were afraid to do so. And there is nothing wrong in raising our issues,” Pawan Kalyan said.