The ongoing theatre bandh issue has sparked intense debate within the Telugu film industry. The matter escalated further when Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan released a strongly-worded letter, criticizing the film industry’s lack of initiative in approaching the Chief Minister even after a year in power. He sarcastically thanked them for the “return gift,” which quickly became the talk of the town.
Veteran producer Allu Aravind addressed the media in a special press meet today, offering his response and clearing the air on several contentious points. He directly responded to the growing narrative surrounding a group often labeled as ‘Aa Naluguru’—a supposed clique of four influential figures in the industry.
Aravind was clear in his stance: “I am not part of this ‘Aa Naluguru’. People have been naming these four for 15 years, but I was never one of them.” He further clarified that apart from a stake in AAA Cinemas in Hyderabad, he does not own any theatres in Andhra Pradesh or Telangana. “I have fewer than 15 screens on lease in Andhra, and I don’t intend to renew them,” he added.
Commenting on the timing of the theatre bandh, Aravind criticized the decision to announce it just before a major Pawan Kalyan film release, calling it “irresponsible.” He also agreed with Pawan Kalyan’s point that the industry should have approached Chandrababu Naidu much earlier, admitting, “That was a mistake on our part.”
Aravind emphasized that extreme steps like theatre shutdowns should only be taken after exhausting all other options. “I distanced myself from recent meetings because I didn’t agree with the way this decision was rushed,” he said. Throughout the press interaction, he reiterated that he is not part of any influential group or power lobby in the industry.
With Aravind’s strong statements now public, the spotlight shifts to how other producers and distributors will respond in the days ahead.
