Telangana Ministers Threaten Film Ban Over Pawan Kalyan's 'Evil Eye' Comment on Konaseema Damage

A Telangana minister has issued a threat to ban screenings of Pawan Kalyan's films unless he apologizes for his controversial statement.

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan's comments regarding a superstitious belief have sparked significant political controversy, with Telangana leaders accusing him of disrespecting the state's residents and threatening to prohibit screenings of the actor-politician's movies.

During a recent inspection of coconut plantations damaged by seawater in Andhra Pradesh's Konaseema region, Kalyan remarked that the area's exceptional beauty and greenery had previously been admired by people from Telangana, which separated from Andhra Pradesh in 2014. He suggested that the destruction of Konaseema's famous coconut groves might be attributed to "drishti" or "evil eye," which some have interpreted as placing blame on Telangana's people.

While examining environmental damage caused by overflowing drains and silt buildup in Konaseema, where seawater has ruined thousands of acres of coconut crops, the Jana Sena party chief stated, "Leaders from Telangana used to praise Konaseema's greenery, even saying that its prosperity was a factor in the state's bifurcation debate. Perhaps a lot of Dishti (evil eye) was cast on it, and just as a black stone breaks under a strong curse, Konaseema's coconut trees too seem to have been hit by a similar glare."

Telangana leaders strongly criticized Kalyan's remarks, claiming he insulted the state and its residents at a time when both Telugu states are working toward better cooperation.

Telangana Cinematography Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy issued a stern warning, demanding an immediate apology: "If Pawan Kalyan does not tender an unconditional apology, his movies will not be permitted to be screened anywhere in Telangana." He added, "It is not Telangana's evil eye; in fact, under Andhra leaders' rule, our people had to drink fluoride water for 60 years."

Animal Husbandry Minister Vakiti Srihari criticized the deputy chief minister's comments as lacking political maturity and being made solely for "political mileage." According to Srihari, Pawan Kalyan was "unable to digest" Telangana's development progress since its formation.

Transport Minister Poonam Prabhakar also demanded an apology, stating: "Pawan Kalyan must apologize. When there is flooding in Telangana, we don't blame Andhra Pradesh. We think of it as nature's fury. As coalition partners of Kalyan and the Jana Sena party, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and the BJP need to react. He must understand that he is no longer just an actor. He must make responsible statements. He should not speak in a manner that creates animosity between the people of the two states."

Congress MLA J Anirudh Reddy questioned Kalyan's residence choice, saying: "If Telangana has cast an evil eye on Konaseema, why is Pawan Kalyan staying in Hyderabad? He should sell his properties here and shift to Vijayawada."