Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on December 26 held talks with a delegation of around 50 representatives from the Telugu film industry, including prominent actors, directors and producers. The meeting reportedly reiterated that no charity shows would be held in Telangana.
According to a press release issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, CM Revanth emphasized the importance of Tollywood by comparing it to that of the IT and pharmaceutical industries. He announced plans to elevate Hyderabad as a global hub for films and aimed to attract Bollywood and even Hollywood to the city.
Led by Telangana State Film Development Corporation chairman and renowned producer ‘Dil’ Raju, the delegation included stars like Nagarjuna and Venkatesh, producers Arul Aravind and Suresh Babu, directors Raghavendra Rao, Vamsi Paidipalli, Contains Trivikram etc.
The meeting took place after the tragic riot that occurred during the premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule, which resulted in the death of a woman named Revati and her son being seriously injured. The incident sparked a spat between the Telangana government and Allu Arjun, with CM Revanth criticizing the film industry for being slow in responding to the victims. However, a day before the meeting, Allu Arjun, director Sukumar and production company Mythri Movie Makers donated Rs 200 crore to support Revashi’s family. Allu Aravind presented the check to “Dil” Raju, who promised that the funds would be used to secure the future of the children and their father.
During the meeting, CM Revanth reiterated the government’s commitment to support the growth of the Telugu film industry. “We consider the film industry as important as IT and pharmaceuticals.Hyderabad has international appeal and has the potential to become a global film hub,” he said. spoke. The Prime Minister also announced plans to hold a major film industry conference in Hyderabad to attract local and international filmmakers.
There were speculations about the benefit show and discussions about hike in ticket prices, but ‘Dil’ Raju dismissed them as minor concerns. “We were focused on bigger issues like taking Telugu cinema to a global level and establishing Hyderabad as an international hub,” he said.
The Telangana state government has set up a cabinet sub-committee to deal with industry issues, with ‘Dil’ Raju acting as an intermediary between the government and film bodies. CM Revanth also urged the industry to set up its own committee to work collaboratively on solutions.
Highlighting the benefits of the state for filmmakers, CM Revanth said, “Telangana is within two hours’ reach of Hyderabad, offering unique opportunities for filming. Tourism and temple tourism also need to be promoted.” He suggested that Telugu films address pressing social issues such as drug abuse and marijuana use.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Malu Bhatti Vikramarka, Minister of Photography Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, Home Minister Ravi Gupta and Commissioner of Police Jitender. Besides senior actors like Nagarjuna, Venkatesh and Murali Mohan, film directors like Harish Shankar, Koratala Siva and Boyapati Srinivas were also present.
The CM assured those present that his administration would enforce the law impartially and said he harbored no personal bias. The meeting highlighted the government’s determination to transform the Telugu film industry into a global powerhouse while dealing with the fallout of recent controversies.
