It Was A ‘Smilingly Serious Warning’: RGV

Vijayawada: Several people have warned me throughout my career but it is for the first time that someone warned me with a smile, controversial director Ram Gopal Varma said on his meeting with Vangaveeti Radhakrishna.

The director is currently making a movie titled, 'Vangaveeti' based on the life of slain politician Vangaveeti Mohana Ranga. In this regard, he held a meeting with the family members of Mohana Ranga in Vijayawada on Saturday. He spoke to former MLA Vangaveeti Radhakrishna and Ratnakumari. Post the meeting, RGV did not speak to the media but tweeted his opinion on the outcome. "Two very important people may pose problems to the making of the movie," he said and added that he will not compromise on his vision for the movie. Ram Gopal Varma mentioned in another tweet that it for the first time someone has warned him without losing the smile on their face.

Later, speaking to the media Vangaveeti Radhakrishna said he has conveyed his objections on certain sections of the film, 'Vangaveeti' to RGV. It is now upto him to decide. A petition in the court has also been filed by Radhakrishna in this regard.

Another participant of the meeting, Gudivada MLA and YSRCP leader Kodali Nani said RGV and Radhakrishna did not budge from their stated stand. "The meeting was not very fruitful but a final call must be taken by RGV himself." Nani said.

RGV had met the family members of Devineni, the rivals of Vangaveeti Mohana Ranga, prior to the start of the film shoot. On Saturday when the film is in the final stages of production he met Radhakrishna and Ratnakumari.

The film 'Vangaveeti' has run into controversy right from the concept stage itself. The issue is political sensitive in the faction-ridden Vijayawada politics. To add further fuel to the raging controversy, Ram Gopal Varma also lent his voice to a song - 'Kamma Kapu' - which allegedly has caste overtones. The song and certain scenes in the film were later deleted following a court order.

Vangaveeti Mohana Ranga, a leader of Congress party and belonging to the Kapu community, was murdered in 1988 when he was on hunger strike, sparking unprecedented violence in Vijayawada and other parts of Krishna district as well as neighbouring districts. More than 40 people were killed and property worth over Rs 100 crore was damaged.

The violence abated after then Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao made his Telugu Desam Party (TDP) legislator Devineni 'Nehru' Rajasekhar surrender. Then Home Minister Kodela Sivaprasada Rao also had to resign.