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Telugu actor and politician Nandamuri Balakrishna has been facing backlash on social media after a recent video, which showed him pushing actor Anjali at an event, surfaced online. Balakrishna was the chief guest at a pre-release event for Anjali’s upcoming film Gangs of Godavari, co-starring Vishwak Sen and Neha Shetty. The widely-shared video, which also landed on Reddit, shows Balakrishna pushing Anjali after she didn’t hear him on stage.
Anjali’s co-star, Neha, appeared visibly shocked by the incident, although Anjali herself laughed it off. While the context of what Balakrishna said to Anjali before pushing her is unknown, the actor, who was seen in Tamil and Telugu films like Angaadi Theru, Engaeyum Eppothum, Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu, and Geethanjali, seemed to take it sportingly. Balakrishna was later seen giving her a high-five.
Despite Anjali’s lighthearted reaction, netizens are outraged at Balakrishna’s behaviour, slamming him for being “disrespectful” to women. One user commented, “It’s crazy how so many people give him a free pass by saying sh*t like ‘it’s just balayya.’” Another added, “A talented actress treated like sh*t.” Another angry netizen remarked, “It’s insane how a #MeToo accused by multiple women is still considered a star and getting multiple offers. He is a repeat offender.”
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta also took his X (formerly Twitter) to call out Balakrishna. Sharing a clip from the incident, Hansal, wrote, “Who is this scumbag?” In another tweet, where he is responding to a netizen trying to defend his action, the Shahid director wrote, “Scumbag x100.”
Balakrishna’s peers have often spoken about his anger issues. In a press meeting, director KS Ravikumar, who worked with Balakrishna on Jai Simha, discussed the actor’s short temper. According to a Times Now report, Ravikumar mentioned an incident where Balakrishna almost hit an assistant director who he thought was laughing at him after a fan shifted his wig. “He got mad at him and almost hit him. He claimed he was from the ‘opposite gang.’ I had to intervene,” said Ravikumar.
At the same event, Balakrishna shared that he does not want his son, aspiring actor Mokshagna, to follow in his footsteps. “I don’t want him to be inspired by me, although my fans would be upset with my decision,” he said, adding, “Mokshagna will be making his debut very soon and it will be a much-awaited film. I’ll be behind him like a rock, but I wish he treks his own path,” he said, as quoted by Great Andhra.com. Balakrishna is in the news for his hits Akhandaand Veerasimha Reddy and plans to collaborate with director Boyapati Srinu for Akhanda 2.
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