From the past two decades, the TFI, telugu film industry knows only two super stars – Chiranjeevi and Balakrishna. When they ruled the roost in Telugu cinema, K Chiranjeevi and Nandamuri Balakrishna were like wary stags circling each other. Off the record, they led caste based rivalries, Chiranjeevi being the Kapu’s Icon and Balakrishna, the Kamma elite. Backgrounds of both of them are different, Chiranjeevi rising from nowhere and Balakrishna, entered into the industry commanding utmost respect as the son of legendary NTR. Though NTR was sidelined from politics by CBN long ago, the politics now circle around NTR’s family with Balakrishna as the center as soon as he announced his entry into state politics.
Said to be good friends off the screen, Chiranjeevi and Balakrishna turned out to be bitter enemies or rather politicians with the latter’s entry onto the public stage a month ago. Daggers are drawn by each other as soon as Balakrishna took the flexibility to comment about incompatibility of Chiranjeevi to run a party and merging it into congress at the end. Fans fight for their stars, shed blood and get to the streets in support when the two fight each other with words at the top.
The instance Balakrishna announced his entry into politics and took liberty of talking about Chiranjeevi’s failure and subsequent merger of PRP into congress, scuffle started between both the parties and took a rather worst turn when the merger is described as a money – grabbing act by Chiranjeevi. Well.. then came the retort from Chiranjeevi saying that “Balakrishna is Childish” and the rest is known to the state.
Though Chiranjeevi signaled peace by calling Balakrishna a good friend, the latter went on a spree of unveiling his father's statues, at one event, he thumped his thigh—his trademark screen mannerism—and declared that Chiranjeevi could not hold a candle to his dad: “My father, even though he was chief minister, took only `1 rupee as salary, used his own car for official duties and entertained official guests at his own expense. And so, those who take his name as ideal (Chiranjeevi) cannot even match his footsteps.
CBN and his party faces a major opposition in the form of Jagan Mohan Reddy in the coastal region and Balakrishna would serve the party’s purpose in that area too. As a film star, he draws crowds, matching Chiranjeevi. Moreover, Balakrishna is fresh in the minds of voters, having just reprised a mythological film in which he played the role of Ram, made famous by his father. And since everyone's playing caste politics, Balakrishna is ideal to keep the Kamma flock close to the TDP just as Jagan is attracting the Reddys and Chiranjeevi is being primed to get the Kapu vote for the Congress.
The reason for chiranjeevi being less aggressive in the recent past is he has another task in his hand, strengthen his position in Congress and fight another bunch of enemies within the party. Having submerged his Praja Rajyam Party into the Congress, he is finding that his MLAs are no longer his. He is understood to have realized that instead of becoming an important leader in the Congress, he is faced with the prospect of his men rallying behind PCC president Botcha Satyanarayana, a fellow Kapu.
The Megastar of Telugu cinema is still fighting to firm his feet in congress and doesn’t have a clear plan of what he is going to be in the party. These histrionics from both the stars and proof of their caliber is necessary. Even though the assembly elections are two and half years far, there is this by-elections for about 25 assembly seats, which stand as preliminary test to the mettle of both this stars.
With this kind of star war ahead, People are eager to know who will come out as the winner and who is going to bite the mud.
Well.. readers’ opinions also count in this regard and let me know about them in your comments. Thank you.
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