Veteran Telugu star Chiranjeevi has landed in controversy over his remarks on casting couch in the Telugu film industry. At the success event of his latest release Mana Shankara Varaprasad Garu on January 25 in Hyderabad, Chiranjeevi said that there is "no such thing as casting couch" in the film industry, adding that if anyone has had a bitter experience, it was their own fault.
What's Happening
- At the Mana Shankara Varaprasad Garu event, Chiranjeevi, 70, denied the presence of casting couch in the Telugu film industry.
- "There's no such thing as a 'casting couch' or anything like that. It depends on your behaviour. You shouldn't have any insecurity about how things might be. Be professional, and others will be professional too," he said.
- "This industry is like a mirror; what you give is what you get back. So, for anyone who wants to enter this industry with courage, come with determination, strong resolve, and hard work as your support. This is a great industry...everyone will thrive, whether they are girls or boys," he added.
- Every child, be it a girl or a boy, must be encouraged to thrive in the industry. "This is a great industry. If someone hasn't thrived here or says there are negative people or they've had a bitter experience, I strongly believe it's their own fault. If you are strict and serious, no one will try to take advantage of you," he said.
Social Media Reactions
After Chiranjeevi's comments went viral on the Internet, severe backlash followed with a section of social media users calling the actor's remarks "misogynistic".
One of the first celebrities to react to Chiranjeevi's claims on casting couch not being a real thing, was singer Chinmayi Sripada, who wrote a long note on X.
She said, "Casting couch is rampant, women are refused roles if they don't offer 'full commitment' - a word that means completely different in the film industry."
Furthermore, she added, "Legendary Chiranjeevi garu comes from a generation where they all were friends or even family friends with their female co-artists, mutually respected each other, worked with legends, and they are all legends themselves."
Reacting to Chiranjeevi's statement that the Telugu industry is a "mirror" that reflects "who you are", Chinmayi added, "Girls are now aspiring to work in the film industry from either abroad, where they have a broad world view, are highly educated, and they know what's going on here. So, no - the Industry is not a mirror that reflects who you are."
Casting couch is rampant, women are refused roles if they don't offer ‘full commitment' - a word that means completely different in the film industry.
— Chinmayi Sripaada (@Chinmayi) January 26, 2026
If you come from an English educated background and believe ‘commitment' means ‘professionalism', showing up to work and being…
Another user wrote, "Chiranjeevi's denial of 'casting couch' & victim-blaming exposes deep, systemic misogyny entrenched at highest levels of film industries. Playing 'noble' roles on screen doesn't erase patriarchal/privileged/ignorant thinking off-screen. Telugu-like Kannada-needs Hema Committee probe."
One said, "How dare he, just after taking some dumbass cringe movie, this man is barking as if he did some great achievement. Blame for the casting couch on the victims who came out and spoke? Disgusting man, before a hero, you are human. Behave like that."
One Internet user commented, "Worst Industry TFI, and the so-called senior is such an insecure s**t. We saw his real face during Baahubali 1's first show review."
Another person wrote, "I saw Chiranjeevi was making suggestive remarks to Keerthi Suresh in an audio launch function. There are also tweets I have seen about him doing the same with Pooja Hegde. The creepy behaviour of Ballayya is an open secret. Ofc these guys find nothing wrong."
"Accusing victims of sexual exploitation and backing the abuse of power in already established hierarchy, wow. This industry is rotten irrevocably, your son's movie's choreographer is a pedophile. You don't deserve daughters," said another X user.
Chiranjeevi's Last Release
Chiranjeevi was last seen in Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu, released in theatres on January 12, 2026. The movie also features Nayanthara and Venkatesh Daggubati.
