Mahesh shouldn't promote alcohol: Fan

The State Human Rights Commission (APSHRC) on Thursday called for a report from the state police after two youths, fans of Telugu film superstar Mahesh Babu sought action against him over his advertisement promoting a liquor brand.

Two master degree students T Satish Kumar and B Amru Naik, from Nalgonda district, filed a petition before the APSHRC in Hyderabad stating that they are fans of Mahesh Babu, and alleged after seeing the actor featuring in an advertisement endorsing a liquor brand, they too started consuming alcohol and got addicted to drinks. The petitioners further alleged that they being the fans blindly followed the actor, however, now they were incurring daily expenses of Rs 1,000 for the drinks.

Moreover, alcoholism affected their health and they were unable to attend job interviews, they claimed even as Naik asserted that his wife deserted him over his drinking habit. The duo alleged that the advertisement did not carry any statutory warnings (on ill-effects of consuming alcohol) and sought for suitable compensation besides action against the actor as per law, the liquor company and for removal of the flexi-boards of the advertisement.

Being a celebrity, he should not have given such an advertisement, they added. The Commission, after going through the complaint, asked the Director General of Police (DGP) to file a report over the matter before it within 3 weeks.