Telugu Desam Party workers blocked the screening of Ramgopal Varma's latest film Rakta Charitra at some places in Andhra Pradesh today protesting misrepresentation of facts related to party founder-president NT Rama Rao, in the film.
The controversial film, which Varma claimed was based on real-life faction feud between slain TDP leader Paritala Ravindra and his opponents in Anantapur district, hit the screens today in the state with actor Vivek Oberoi playing the lead role.
Tamil actor Surya also stars in the film, but his portion would be added next month in what Varma says is a new trend.
TDP workers took strong objection to three main scenes in the film including one that sought to portray N T Rama Rao as a "timid" person.
Relenting to the TDP protest, Verma announced late in the evening that he would delete that particular scene and also other portion, if NT Rama Rao's family felt offended.
The controversy notwithstanding, the film opened to packed houses across the state. However, after the noon show was screened, TDP workers took to the streets and held protests in front of the theatres screening Rakta Charitra.
Screening of one show of the film was stopped in Vishakhapatnam and Anantapur districts, police sources said. Protests were also held in Karimnagar, Srikakulam, Vijayawada in Krishna district and Tirupati in Chittoor districts against the screening of the film.
Atleast 10 TDP activists were taken into preventive custody when they tried to disrupt screening at Krishna theatre in Suryanagar in Anantapur town, a senior police officer told PTI.
"Some slogan shouting TDP activists tried to stop the screening of the movie, alleging that the some scenes in the film defamed the stature of former State Chief Minister NT Rama Rao. But the protestors were immediately removed and taken into custody," the police officer explained.
The screening of the movie is going on peacefully elsewhere in Anantapur town and across the district, the police officer added.
In similar protests, TDP activists held demonstrations and tore apart cut-outs and wall posters of Rakta Charitra and set them on fire besides reportedly damaging glass window-panes at a theatre in Karimnagar town which was screening the movie.
Ahead of the screening, police particularly in Anantapur district had made heavy security arrangements in front of the theatres as political parties and social organisations had demanded a ban on the movie saying that the film would again rake up factional politics in the district.
