CHIRANJEEVI BIDS ADIEU TO FILMS

DESARAJU SURYA

Hyderabad: Telugu Megastar Chiranjeevi has called it quits as an actor.

The announcement came from the Megastar himself here tonight at a time when millions of his fans have been awaiting his 150^th movie venture, supposed to be produced by his actor-son Ram Charan Tej.

“Since I am busy with politics, it would not be appropriate for me to don the grease paint again. My son Charan is there to fill the gap,” Chiranjeevi replied when a spectator wanted to know about the proposed 150^th film, at the launch of UTV’s Action Telugu movie channel here tonight.

Replying to a question on whether he would don the role of a politician or Chief Minister in his future film, Chiranjeevi quipped: “Why in cinema? People are feel I can become the Chief Minister in real life itself.”

The actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi claimed that people of Andhra Pradesh were longing to see him as state Chief Minister in real life rather than in reel life.
Chiranjeevi announced in December last that he would don the grease paint once again for his 150th film to be produced by his actor-son Ram Charan Tej.
But that project did not take off because of the political developments in the state as well as his Praja Rajyam Party's merger move with the Congress.
Chiranjeevi's announcement today assumes significance as there are indications that he may be inducted either into the state Cabinet or even the Union Cabinet in the next round of reshuffle.

Chiranjeevi, a self-made star in Telugu cinema, quit films after a 30-year career in August 2008 to float the Praja Rajyam Party. While announcing the launch of his party, Chiranjeevi indicated that he would continue to act in films – “my first love” – even after turning a politician but would play only message-oriented roles in tune with his new stature.

Chiranjeevi, however, became a ‘flop star’ as his party was trounced in the 2009 general elections, thereby dashing his hopes of becoming the state Chief Minister.

With a 17 per cent vote share and 18 MLAs, the PRP, however, could become the third largest group in the AP Assembly.

In February this year, Chiranjeevi suddenly decided to merge his PRP with the ruling Congress and, since then, had been busy completing the formalities.

PRAJA RAJYAM: THE END

DESARAJU SURYA

Hyderabad: Praja Rajyam Party is no more. The PRP’s end has come today with the Election Commission of India formally approving its merger with the ruling Congress in Andhra Pradesh.

The 34-month-old party’s merger with the 125-year-old party was on cards since February this year but technical formalities delayed the process so far.

The 17 PRP MLAs would now add solidity to the Congress government in AP that had been surviving on a wafer-thin majority over the last two years.

Telugu Mega Star Konidela Chiranjeevi launched the Praja Rajyam Party in the temple-town Tirupati on August 26, 2008 with “social justice” as its theme and the promise of ushering in a “change” in the political scene in the state as well as the lives of people.

“I shall usher in the change that people of Andhra Pradesh have been longing for and turn the state into ‘Santoshaandhra Pradesh’ (the state of happiness),” Chiranjeevi vowed while inaugurating Praja Rajyam Party.

The party, however, received a drubbing at the hustings in 2009, having won only 18 out of 294 seats in the AP Assembly, though it polled 70 lakh votes across the regions.

The party has been left in virtual disarray as one senior leader after the other walked out following the electoral debacle.

It was also reduced into a non-entity in the Telangana region after Chiranjeevi changed his stance in favour of unified Andhra Pradesh after supporting “social Telangana” earlier.

This caused a small rebellion in the party with its two MLAs from Telangana falling away with Chiranjeevi. On the other hand, two MLAs from Kurnool district of Rayalaseema started sailing with rebel leader Y S Jaganmohan Reddy much to the discomfiture of Chiranjeevi.

Chiranjeevi’s announcement of a merger of PRP with Congress came as a blessing in disguise with the two Telangana legislators returning to its fold. One of the two rebel MLAs from Rayalaseema too buried the hatchet with Chiranjeevi after the PRP initiated disqualification proceedings.

Now, only Sobha Nagi Reddy is continuing in the Jagan camp even as the disqualification procedure against her is on.

There has been speculation for sometime now that the PRP would be accommodated in the state Cabinet following the merger move. It appears certain but the number of slots the PRP would get is still unclear.

Announcing the PRP’s merger with the Congress in February, Chiranjeevi had said he would strive hard to bridge the gap between the haves and the have-nots.

“I shall not forget my responsibilities just because I have merged the party with Congress. I am committed to the principle of social justice and my fight against corruption will continue forever. I will always take the lead in supporting the aspirations of the poor and the needy," he had said then.

Chiranjeevi was a self-made star – one who rose to become the Megastar of Telugu films in a career that spanned 30 years. He was a dancing and fighting sensation, a trend-setter in Telugu tinsel town.

He faced many defeats in his three-decade old career in the film industry but he always bounced back to firm up his position on the top.

Politics was a totally different script for him and he was a “reluctant politician” who was allegedly “forced” into the hotbed of politics in politically-conscious Andhra Pradesh.

It was rather a tame and unexpected end for his party, though politically not for him yet.