The arrest of actor Ravi Teja’s siblings (they were caught buying cocaine) seems to have opened a can of worms that threatens to engulf Tollywood.The city police confirmed in a press conference yesterday that they have a consolidated list of 65 top celebs who are regular users of cocaine and warned the celebs to mend their ways or face arrest. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not just small time actors who are abusing drugs. A couple of leading stars, directors and composers are known to regularly consume drugs. “A couple of successful stars (including a star who’s trying her luck in Bollywood) regularly consume drugs at private parties or at select pubs (nine city pubs are currently under scanner as drug peddling hubs),” reveals an industry source. While struggling actors take to drugs to beat their professional blues, even a stint at rehabs doesn’t cure them of their habit. “There are some actors who were admitted in rehabilitation centres for six months, but they are back to their old ways since their careers seem to be going nowhere. With the film industry stacked in favour of lineage stars and even audience patronising them, struggling non-lineage stars vent out their frustration through this vice,” says an upcoming actress. Tollywood hottie Bindhu Madhavi feels, “Things have been blown out of proportion. It’s not correct to paint such a picture of T-town. May be a handful of T-towners take drugs, but I’ve heard that kin of politicians, business tycoons are also into drugs. Why single us out?”
Considering top actors and leading technicians are victims of drug abuse, there’s reason to worry. “A top filmmaker introduced this habit to a couple of leading stars and a top composer, who are now regular users of cocain,” rues an insider. With such wild allegations, won’t the T-town image get tarnished? “T-town has 5,000 working members, those 65 drug abusers won’t spoil our goodwill. However, such allegations will discourage new girls from joining Telugu films,” says producer-director Teja.
New-age filmmaker Saikiran Adavi feels the same way. “The law will take its own course and punish the offenders. But making sweeping allegations against T-town is unfair and unwarranted. Drug consumption is prevalent in other sectors like IT too, but anything that involves T-town gets undue mileage. That’s the cost of being a celebrity.”
