Santosham Awards controversy: Allu Aravind blasts, Suresh Kondeti apologizes

Suresh Kondeti’s Santosham South Indian Film Awards faced controversy as attendees, especially from the Kannada film industry, claimed disrespect during the event in Goa. Allegations arose that lights were turned off, prompting Kannada celebrities to leave the stage virtually. Suresh Kondeti, a reporter and purported PRO of Chiranjeevi and the Mega family, organized the awards show, which drew criticism for allegedly neglecting certain celebrities.

According to reports, the trouble began when the Kannada film industry was scheduled to receive awards. Lights were abruptly switched off as Ramesh Aravind took the stage, leading the anchor to leave and instructing Kannada actors to exit. Additionally, some celebrities faced difficulties during hotel check-out due to unpaid dues.

The incident sparked outrage among netizens, who expressed disappointment over an event intended to celebrate all South Indian film industries allegedly disrespecting the Kannada film industry. Calls for boycotting future events of this nature emerged on social media.

Producer Allu Aravind, Chiranjeevi’s brother-in-law and Allu Arjun’s father, distanced the Mega family and the Telugu film industry from the controversy during a press meet in Hyderabad. He emphasized that the awards show was solely Suresh Kondeti’s responsibility and not connected to the Telugu film industry. Allu Aravind stated that clicking pictures with Kondeti did not imply representation and urged against dragging them into the controversy.

In response to the allegations, Suresh Kondeti clarified that the event was his personal initiative with no ties to the Telugu industry. He acknowledged a communication gap during the Goa event and apologized for any inconvenience caused. He attributed challenges in organizing a large-scale event to unintentional mistakes and expressed hope for understanding.

Amidst these developments, star producer Allu Aravind issued a strong retort, further distancing the Mega family from the controversy. He emphasized the independence of Suresh Kondeti’s initiative and refuted any connection with the Telugu film industry, reaffirming that blame should not be placed on Tollywood for one individual’s actions.