Chiru seeks united efforts, slams Dr Rajasekhar

Seasoned star Chiranjeevi urged 800- members to have a larger vision for more than 10 years and achieve set goals unitedly rather than fighting over petty issues.

"We have to have a larger vision for next ten years and accordingly plan our moves unitedly. In fact, I want good things to be announced to th world, while internal issues discussed within our four walls," said the actor after launching the Movie Artistes' Association Diary, 2020, on Thursday.

He said that Chief Minister of Telangana K Chandrasekhar Rao and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy have assured help to the film industry. "Both Mr KCR and Mr Jagan have personally told me that they would like to support film industry and urged me to come up with big plans," he said and added "I was pleasantly surprised when I happened to visit the swanky office of Kannada Artistes Union in Bangalore which had a home theatre, club and recreation centre in a four-storied building.

I would like to have similar kind of facility for Telugu actors. To achieve that we need to work together since the welfare of Actors Guild is more important than personal egos," he stressed.

After his speech, Dr Rajasekhar, Executive vice president of MAA, took the mike and said that 'issues' cannot be swept under the carpet and need to be addressed. "Reel heroes have to behave like real-life heroes and shouldn't try to be just politically correct," he said.

Reacting to it, Chiru alleged that Rajasekhar has broken the protocol and was here to create ruckus than to resolve issues. "His intention is clear and he wants to create a flutter with his behaviour without respecting veteran actors on stage," Even Krishnam Raju, said that Telugu actors are gaining respect across India and we need to be more disciplined.

"We are planning to constitute a co-ordination committee to address issues without any bias. But members should follow some propriety,' said 'Rebel' star.

Similarly, visibly irked Mohan Babu also felt that Telugu actors union is highly respectable due to legends like NTR and ANR. "This association is for all of us and no one individual can claim credit.

Our motto is to help our colleagues and not to make mountain out of a molehill. In fact, I personally extended financial help to few artistes and also gave a job to wife of a deceased actor.

But as an association we can do more and help our colleagues who are in distress, " On his supposed rivarly with Chiranjeevi, he said "People want us to take potshots against each other but inreality our families are very close to each other." he said, smilingly.

Dr Rajasekhar creates flutter, quits EVP post

Actor Dr Rajasekhar, who has been at logger-heads with V K Naresh, president of MAA, for quite a few months over various issues pertaining to members of actors union and even planned to replace Naresh through voting in a General Body Meeting since he gained good support among 800-odd members.

However, he was forced to quit on Thursday after creating a flutter at the Diary Launch event. "I am resigning to my post since I am unhappy with behaviour of Naresh and his way of handling things," he said in a press statement.