Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has condemned superstar Mahesh Babu for not supporting power star Pawan Kalyan, who is holding a silent protest to get Special Category Status (SCS) for Andhra Pradesh (AP).
On 22 January, Pawan Kalyan announced on his Twitter account that his Jana Sena party will hold a silent protest, against the Union Government, for the Special Category Status for Andhra Pradesh on 26 January. Ram Gopal Varma took to his Twitter handle on Wednesday to praise Pawan Kalyan.
The filmmaker said that Pawan Kalyan is the only hero, who fights against villains on and off screen. Ram Gopal Varma tweeted: "Other heroes fight only filmy police n filmy politicians but @PawanKalyan is fighting real villains like real police n real politicians. Even great heroes from Stallone,Schwarznagger, Bruce Lee etc onwards also fought only normals but @PawanKalyan is fighting Governments."
Recently, Mahesh Babu had voiced support for the people of Tamil Nadu in their fight against the ban on Jallikattu. But he has not uttered a single word for the movement called AP Demands Special Status. Ram Gopal Varma condemned the actor's double standards. In a series of tweets, the filmmaker said that Prince's support for Tamil Nadu was just an act of expanding the market for his film in the state.
Ram Gopal Varma tweeted: "Why @urstrulyMahesh supporting some Tamil festival culture more than survival problems of AP ? Becos he's not as caring as @PawanKalyan ? Shocked @urstrulyMahesh is more bothered about dubbing market people than survival problems of actual people who made him super star. Any celebrity if they don't immidiatley don't join @PawanKalyan in his fight for the people's problems they are criminal traitors of AP."
He added: "If @urstrulyMahesh fans don't tell him to back @PawanKalyan 's fight for AP's struggle they also are as big traitors of AP as him. Am shockingly stunned that inspite of him being the CM @ncbn is so much less bothered than @PawanKalyan about AP people's problems. if @urstrulyMahesh is not into politics why he so bothered about Tamil jallikattu and not about @PawanKalyan 's fight for AP problems?"
However, Mahesh Babu had tweeted on 19 January: "#Jallikattu is the spirit of Tamil Nadu - bold and fearless. Proud to see such a statement of unity among Tamilians for something that they truly believe in. Especially admire the way the students of Tamil Nadu have been standing up for the cause, relentlessly fighting for their roots and culture. Hope their voices are heard. I support the spirit of Tamil Nadu. #JusticeforJallikattu."
