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RGV says he instigated Telugu actress Sri Reddy to take on Pawan Kalyan

ramgopal-sr-reddy Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma and actress Sri Reddy

The ruckus over Telugu actress Sri Reddy alleging casting couch in the Telugu film industry had reached a head in the past week, with Reddy taking on actor and politician Pawan Kalyan. The latter had advised Sri Reddy to go the courts for justice,  not the media. “It will be no use if she does not fight her case in courts. Only the government can give her justice,” he had said.

Reddy had lashed out, calling the actor thrice-married, with no respect for women, and that she would never call him anna (brother) again. She had later apologised to Kalyan's mother for the language she used. 

In a fresh development, director Ram Gopal Varma had come out with a video claiming that he instigated Reddy to attack Pawan Kalyan. 

“It was my suggestion, and I am to be blamed. It wasn’t Sri Reddy’s idea. If somebody has to apologise, it is me. Although I didn’t abuse Pawan Kalyan, I influenced Sri Reddy to do so,” the director said, reported The Newsminute. 

Earlier this month, Sri Reddy stripped and staged a protest to demand justice for not getting any work in Telugu film industry. The incident took place in Film Nagar, where the artist removed her clothes and complained of not getting chances in the industry and women being exploited in Tollywood. Following her protest, the Movie Artistes Association (MAA), an apex body of the Telugu film industry, had said the aspiring actor would not be made a member of the organisation.