The behavior of top Tollywood heroes has now become a hot topic within the film industry. On the occasion of Ugadi, two films were released — one being the highly hyped Dhurandhar 2, and the other Ustaad Bhagat Singh, starring Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan. What’s surprising is that none of the leading Tollywood stars said a single word about Ustaad Bhagat Singh. Instead, they lined up to shower praise on Dhurandhar 2, posting tweets appreciating the film. They hailed it as outstanding and lauded director Aditya Dhar and actor Ranveer Singh. Prominent Tollywood stars like Allu Arjun, NTR, Mahesh Babu, and Vijay Deverakonda were among those who praised the film. Controversial director Ram Gopal Varma was among the first to heap praise on Dhurandhar 2, particularly appreciating Aditya Dhar’s style of filmmaking. However, despite both films releasing on the same day, all these celebrities showed special preference for Dhurandhar 2 while completely ignoring Ustaad Bhagat Singh. This silence, especially towards a fellow actor who is also the Deputy Chief Minister, has now become a talking point in the industry.
Pawan Kalyan currently serves as the Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, and the cinematography department is also held by Jana Sena minister Kandula Durgesh. In the future, for matters like ticket price hikes or permissions for premiere shows, stars like Allu Arjun, NTR, Mahesh Babu, Vijay Deverakonda, or their producers may have to approach either Pawan Kalyan or Minister Kandula Durgesh. Despite this, their visible enthusiasm for a Hindi film and complete silence on Pawan Kalyan’s film does not send the right signals, according to a key producer from the industry. The fact that top Tollywood stars tweeted about Dhurandhar 2 while remaining silent on Ustaad Bhagat Singh has now become a major topic of discussion.
While Dhurandhar 2, which released on Thursday, has received a super hit talk, Ustaad Bhagat Singh has largely garnered negative reviews. Regardless of the reasons, there is a growing opinion that those who spoke about the Hindi film should have at least acknowledged a film from their own industry, which would have earned them more respect. There is also speculation within Tollywood circles that political pressure may have played a role in the widespread promotion of Dhurandhar 2. Some even believe that the hype around the film is part of a well-planned strategy.