Allu Aravind, a prominent figure in Telugu cinema and father of actor Allu Arjun, addressed the recent controversy surrounding the Santosham Awards held in Goa. He clarified that Suresh Kondeti, a senior film journalist organizing the awards for the past two decades, is not the official Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the "mega family," which includes iconic figures like "Mega Star" Chiranjeevi, Pawan Kalyan, Ram Charan, Allu Arjun, and others.
Aravind emphasized that the Santosham Awards function is a private event, independent of the Telugu film industry, and should not be associated with any failure. He stated, "The function was a failure, and it doesn't reflect on either the Telugu film industry or any person in our family."
.#Kannada celebrities face humilation at #SanthoshamSouthIndian Film awards #Goa
— A Sharadhaa (@sharadasrinidhi) December 3, 2023
It is with deep concern and disappointment that we need to address the distressing events that transpired at the #Santhosham #South #Indian Film Awards 2023 The award function that is organised by… pic.twitter.com/s0kXAKPmh1
Criticism mounted against Suresh Kondeti, with celebrities from the Kannada film industry expressing disappointment over the lack of basic amenities at the event in Goa. Kondeti acknowledged some communication gaps that led to issues and apologized for any inconvenience caused. He clarified that the Telugu industry should not be held responsible for the mishaps, highlighting his longstanding commitment to organizing awards for multiple film industries.
The controversy deepened as senior actor Ramesh Aravind was allegedly 'insulted' during the event when lights were switched off while he was on stage, bringing the ceremony to an abrupt end. Attendees, including Ramesh Aravind, B Suresha, Shylaja Nag, Vani Harikrishna, A Harsha, and Ragini Dwivedi, faced challenges during the hotel check-out process as bills were unsettled, and rooms were locked. Video clips surfaced of celebrities arguing with hotel personnel, prompting police intervention to facilitate their departure for the airport.
Suresh Kondeti, known for his probing questions at movie press meets in Hyderabad, urged understanding for the communication gap and apologized for any unintentional inconveniences caused during the high-profile event. As the controversy unfolds, the organizers face scrutiny, and the apology attempts to address concerns raised by film personalities and the broader industry.
