Speaking on the serious issue of casting couch, Chiranjeevi said that it is not a common problem in Tollywood, and it largely depends on the individual’s personal behaviour. Read on to know more.
Telugu film industry’s legendary actor Chiranjeevi has recently landed in a controversy for one of his statements. He made this statement during the success event of his new film Mana Shankar Varaprasad Garu on 25 January 2026. Speaking on the serious issue of casting couch, Chiranjeevi said that it is not a common problem in Tollywood, and it largely depends on the individual’s personal behaviour. There was a huge stir on social media on this statement.
Chiranjeevi’s controversial statement on casting couch
In his speech, Chiranjeevi said that the film industry is like a mirror, the way you behave, the way you get back. In his words, “This industry is like a mirror. Whatever you show, it projects it back. If you behave professionally, the opposite person responds in the same way.” According to him, if a person works in a professional manner and keeps their boundaries clean, then the other person also behaves in the same way. He also said that if one remains strict and honest, one cannot take undue advantage of it. He said, “There is no casting couch culture as such; it depends on the individual. If you are strict and sincere, no one would take advantage of you. I believe it is because of your fault.” His statement has been described by many as blaming the victims.
Chiranjeevi backed his statement with his daughter’s example
To strengthen his argument, Chiranjeevi also gave personal examples. He mentioned his daughter Sushmita Konidela, who has worked as a costume designer in his film. Chiranjeevi said that his daughter never faced such a problem while working in the industry. He also cited the example of producer Ashwini Dutt’s daughters, Swapna and Priyanka Dutt, and said that they, too, went ahead with a complete professional mindset and were successful.
Reaction to Chiranjeevi’s statement
However, these statements of Chiranjeevi are being seen in the industry and on social media. Many say that his statement contradicts the experiences of actors who have openly spoken about the casting couch in the past. One of the users wrote, “Choice is always there, but what choice really? Continue in the industry or give up films?” Another wrote, “Just because it didn’t happen to you, does it mean it didn’t happen to anyone else?” “Perpetrators exist in every field,” a user noted. A user commented, “He could have admitted casting couch exists in all film industries. Denying its existence is just wrong.”
This is not the first time that Chiranjeevi has courted controversy for his comments on women. Earlier, too, he had stated the desire of a grandson in his family to maintain the family legacy, for which he had to face criticism. Amid the ongoing controversy, many are demanding that there should be a serious discussion on a safe and respectful environment for those working in the film industry. People say that in such issues, it is more important to talk about the flaws of the system rather than blaming the victims.
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