New Delhi: A multilingual film made on the life of YS Rajashekhar Reddy, the late Andhra CM and father of YSRC leader Jaganmohan Reddy, has landed in controversy with the Congress alleging that it portrays Sonia Gandhi in poor light.
Yatra, which is directed by Mahi V Raghav and is set to release in the two Telugu-speaking states on Friday, traces the life journey of YSR, as he was popularly known, in undivided Andhra Pradesh.
The film portrays his struggles against his disparagers within the Congress and how he led the grand old party to a landslide victory in 2004 by decimating the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
A report in Hindustan Times quoted Congress spokesperson for Andhra Pradesh unit Janga Gautam as saying that the biopic intentionally targeted the Congress party and its leader Sonia Gandhi “as part of a hidden agenda of Jagan’s YSRC to finish off their party in collusion with the BJP.”
Congress’ state unit president N Raghuveera Reddy also criticised the movie at a recent media conference and slammed the film as a “bio-trick” and not a biopic.
“Let the people behind the movie make the cast speak the truth that Rajasekhar Reddy was a true Congressman,” Raghuveera said, adding that YSR wished to see Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Minister.
Meanwhile, another Congress leader, V Gurnadham, said the party will take a decision on whether to protest against the film only after watching it.
YSRC’s social media wing in-charge G Devendar Reddy has, however, asserted that the filmmakers have made an attempt to jump past personal hostilities and politics in order to bring forth the facts before the people.
“Is it not true that YSR faced a lot of troubles from the Congress leadership and that he undertook a grueling padayatra in 2003’s midsummer against the wishes of the Congress high command? Is it also not true that Sonia Gandhi jailed Jagan for political reasons?” HT quoted him as sayin