Narrow lanes leading to the local ‘Group Theatres’ wore a festive look with massive flex banners and colourful confetti, as the fans accorded a rousing reception to film actor Nandamuri Balakrishna, who was here on Thursday, as a part of a State-wide success tour of his latest movie ‘Legend’.
Amidst ear-splitting noise of fire crackers and heavy jostling, the movie crew led by film director Boyapati Srinu addressed the audience and thanked them profusely, for making the movie a ‘roaring success’. Upon insistence of the audience, Mr. Balakrishna delivered few dialogues from the movie, in his trademark style, which elicited hoots and whistles from the crowd. “It was thrilling to hear the dialogues from our favourite actor,” maintained the ecstatic fans.
Highlighting the ‘public awareness messages’ embedded in the film, Mr. Srinu termed it as an attempt to emphasise on certain issues plaguing the society. “We wanted to draw the attention to issues like rising atrocities against women through the movie, by leveraging the image of Mr. Balakrishna among the people,” he added.
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Some of the fans went a bit further and raised slogans hailing Mr. Balakrishna as the future Chief Minister. He was accompanied by Telugu Desam Party Senior leader Chadalawada Krishnamurthy and others.
Tirumala staff Reporter adds: Mr. Balakrishna made it clear that he would take a final decision with regard to contesting the elections soon after winding up the Vijayotsava yatra.
He told mediapersons that he would decide on the constituency after meeting Telugu Desam Party president N. Chandrababu Naidu on his return to Hyderabad.
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Earlier, he offered prayers at the Venkateswara Swamy temple.
Kadapa Special Correspondent adds: Mr. Balakrishna said that he was prepared to either contest for Parliament or the Assembly elections and would come out with a clear picture after discussions with Telugu Desam Party president N. Chandrababu Naidu.
However, he would decide the constituency from which he would contest, Mr. Balakrishna said replying to a query from newsmen. Mr. Chandrababu Naidu would finalise the MP and MLA candidates of the party in Kadapa district within a couple of days, he said. Addressing the audience in Ravi theatre here, Mr. Balakrishna said he would produce as well as act in folk, mythological and historical films in order to enlighten the youth on “our culture and traditions”. Film director Boyapati Srinivas was projecting him in a new way from the film “Simha”, he said.
Later, Mr. Balakrishna took the blessings of Sajjad-e-Nasheen of Ameen Peer Dargah Hazrath Khwaja Syed Sha Arifulla Hussaini and held discussions with him for about 15 minutes in Pedda Dargah library and left for Ahobilam in Kurnool district. Mr. Balakrishna could not visit the mazhars as he reached the Dargah much before the visiting hours.