RGV slammed for ‘commercialising’2018 Miryalguda murder case

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma courted controversy yet again, when he released the poster of his upcoming film Murder. The film is apparently based on the infamous 2018 Miryalguda murder case, in which 24-year-old P Pranay was hacked to death in broad daylight in front of his wife, Amrutha Varshini, who was five months pregnant at the time. The prime accused in the case was Amrutha’s father Maruthi Rao, who was opposed to the marriage since Pranay belonged to a different caste.After getting arrested twice, and coming out on bail, Maruti Rao reportedly died by suicide in March, 2020.
“It is going to be a heart wrenching story based on the Amrutha and Maruthi Rao saga of the dangers of a father loving a daughter too much (sic),” the filmmaker posted on Twitter, along with the poster which bears an uncanny resemblance to a picture of Amrutha and her father from happier times.
On Monday night, hours after RGV’s announcement, things took a dramatic turn when a statement allegedly made by Amrutha, went viral. When Hyderabad Times contacted Pranay’s family however, they said that the letter was fake.
“Amrutha has been depressed ever since she found out about this and does not want to speak with anybody. She’s not released any such statement,” Bala Swami, Pranay’s father, said, adding that the whole family has been distraught due to the insensitivity of RGV.

“Like everyone else, we too found out about this film only through social media. No one even consulted us before such an announcement was made. It’s selfish and insensitive on RGV’s part to use our tragedy for his personal gains,” said Bala Swami, adding, “Ever since the poster was released, Amrutha has been slut-shamed and abused on social media. It’s hard enough that she has to raise a fatherless child amid a global pandemic. This has just added to her woes.”
The family, however, is clear that they won’t do anything that will give RGV or his project any more publicity. “We won’t file any case since we don’t want to give him any more publicity. Let him do whatever he wants; he will not have our support or blessings. The future of the child is all we’re thinking about right now.”

RGV, meanwhile, has clarified that he is making the film with the right intention. “I have the highest respect for all the people who endured this tremendous trauma. Murder will be a sincere attempt to respect that pain and lessen it by putting their experience in a contextual retrospective,” the filmmaker said.
Input: Pathi.Thadhagath@timesgroup.com