Telangana forest minister Konda Surekha had apologised over her remarks alleging Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) leader K.T. Rama Rao's involvement in the divorce of Tollywood actors Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Naga Chaitanya. Her comments had garnered the wrath of actors across the Telugu film industry.
Naga Chaitanya’s father, actor Nagarjuna Akkineni, told an entertainment news outlet that his family is in the process of filing another Rs 100 crore defamation lawsuit against Konda Surekha. “You shouldn’t use the lives of film stars, who stay away from politics, to target your opponents. Please respect other people's privacy," Nagarjuna had earlier said in a post on X.
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Nagarjuna reportedly said that the minister apologising to Samantha was not enough and his family is yet to hear from her. However, he will not reconsider moving legally against her if she apoligises to him and his family, the senior actor reportedly said. Nagarjuna said he was a lion when it comes to protecting his family.
Condemning politicians using the names of actors wrongfully for their gains, Nagarjuna said he intends to make an example out of Konda Surekha for all politicans who consider actors as "soft targets."
"This is no longer personal. The slander has gone far beyond just me and my family. The support we've received has made me realise we are in the process of stemming the rot that has seeped into the core of our system, Nagarjuna told Zoom.
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"You can't use our names for political gains. We in the entertainment industry won't be soft targets anymore. It's as simple as that. I am hoping that our legal action against the lady will caution other politicians from using our names in a slanderous way."
Naga Chaitaya and Samantha were married for four years before they parted ways in 2021.
