Telugu film director K. Raghavendra Rao has sparked controversy after a viral video from the launch of director Anil Ravipudi’s upcoming film in Hyderabad drew widespread attention online. In the clip, the 84-year-old director is seen guiding actresses Keerthy Suresh and Krithi Shetty by holding their hands while directing the inaugural shot.
Raghavendra Rao's Viral Video Sparks Outrage
Soon after the video surfaced on social media, it went viral and triggered strong reactions from netizens, with several users calling the moment 'creepy' and questioning the need for physical contact during the interaction.
The viral video shows Rao pulling Keerthy by her arm while directing her and later reaching out to guide Krithi in a similar manner. The clip also shows him explaining a scene to actors Venkatesh and Nandamuri Kalyan Ram, instructing them on how to position their arms for the shot, while he briefly places his hand on Krithi's shoulder during the demonstration.
Netizens React
A user wrote on X, "Why does he touch women like that? He could do the same scene without touching them. Creepy Raghavendra Rao." Another wrote, "Raghavendra Rao garu, what exactly is this behaviour? This isn't the first time such visuals have gone viral. After the backlash over the Niharika video, one would expect that you had learned how to behave, Yet here we are again, having the same conversation."
Another added, "Who gave him the right to touch women without their consent?."
The upcoming film, starring Venkatesh, Nandamuri Kalyan Ram, Keerthy Suresh and Krithi Shetty, was launched in Hyderabad on Thursday, with producer Allu Aravind giving the ceremonial first clap, while producers Dil Raju, Suresh Babu and several members of the Telugu film fraternity attended the event.
While a section of people criticised K. Raghavendra Rao for his behaviour, others defended him, stating that he was only directing the inaugural shot and guiding the actors on their positions for the scene.
As of now, there has been no official reaction from director Raghavendra Rao or actresses Keerthy Suresh and Krithi Shetty regarding the incident or the viral video.
