Telugu actor and politician Nandamuri Balakrishna is facing backlash on social media after a video surfaced showing him pushing actor Anjali at an event. Balakrishna, the chief guest at a pre-release event for Anjali’s upcoming film "Gangs of Godavari," co-starring Vishwak Sen and Neha Shetty, was seen pushing Anjali when she didn't hear him on stage. The widely-shared video has also appeared on Reddit.
Neha, Anjali’s co-star, appeared visibly shocked by the incident, while Anjali herself laughed it off. Although the context of Balakrishna's words before pushing her remains unknown, Anjali, known for her roles in Tamil and Telugu films like "Angaadi Theru," "Engaeyum Eppothum," "Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu," and "Geethanjali," seemed to take it in stride. Balakrishna was later seen giving her a high-five.
Despite Anjali’s lighthearted reaction, netizens are outraged at Balakrishna’s behavior, condemning him for being “disrespectful” to women. One user commented, “It’s crazy how so many people give him a free pass by saying sh*t like ‘it’s just balayya.’” Another added, “A talented actress treated like sh*t.” Another angry netizen remarked, “It’s insane how a #MeToo accused by multiple women is still considered a star and getting multiple offers. He is a repeat offender.”
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta also took his X (formerly Twitter) to call out Balakrishna. Sharing a clip from the incident, Hansal, wrote, “Who is this scumbag?” In another tweet, where he is responding to a netizen trying to defend his action, the Shahid director wrote, “Scumbag x100.”
