Star producer Dil Raju, caught in the midst of swirling rumors and controversies surrounding the Sankranti race among top star-studded films, recently displayed a mix of emotions, ranging from heartfelt sentiments to frustration, during an interaction with the media. The Sankranti lineup includes Mahesh Babu's "Guntur Kaaram," Ravi Teja's "Eagle," Nagarjuna's "Naa Saami Ranga," Venkatesh's "Saindhav," and Teja Sajja's "HanuMan," all vying for coveted theater slots.

Speculations have been rife that Dil Raju has been pressuring filmmakers to opt out of the Sankranti dates, seeking solo releases on alternative dates. Teja Sajja, the hero of "Hanu Man," and director Prashanth Varma went public, claiming threats and attempts to coerce them into changing their release plans. In response, the makers of Ravi Teja's "Eagle" eventually yielded, choosing to postpone their film to a different date.

During the pre-release event of "Hanu Man," Mega Star Chiranjeevi recounted an incident from the release of his film "Khaidi No. 150," where he had discussions with producer Dil Raju. This conversation took place when Balakrishna's "Gautamiputra Satakarni" was also hitting the screens.

Chiranjeevi recalled requesting Dil Raju to consider delaying the release of his production "Shatamanam Bhavathi," citing the risk for a smaller film to compete with major releases. Dil Raju, however, emphasized that a film's content would attract the audience, and all three films went on to achieve success.

Drawing on this experience, Chiranjeevi advised producers not to be overly concerned about immediate competition for theaters, emphasizing that quality content eventually resonates with viewers. However, mentioning Dil Raju's name multiple times during his speech led to various news articles and reports against the producer.

In response to the growing negativity, Dil Raju, visibly emotional, expressed his frustration during an interaction at Prasad Labs. He conveyed, "They throw stones at us while staying on the sidelines in the industry. Movies are released for every Sankranti, and some kind of criticism is made against me every Sankranti."

Addressing the misrepresentation of Chiranjeevi's words, he stated, "Some websites misrepresented Chiranjeevi's words against me at Hanuman's pre-release event yesterday. If they write false news about me, I will take action against the websites."

Continuing to defend his stance, Dil Raju shared, "Criticisms coming in terms of business are being changed in their favor. There is no way to relax from today. I postponed the Tamil film, and I told myself to release Hanuman movie. Hanuman and Guntur Karam movies have theaters in Nizam. Nagarjuna and Venkatesh movies are not getting theaters."

Expressing his frustration with false rumors, he concluded, "What do you want to do with the wrong writings? I am always available for clarification. But still, people are slandering my image, spreading false rumors." Dil Raju's emotional outburst highlighted the challenges and pressures faced by producers in the dynamic and competitive film industry.