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.