Balakrishna’s jibe at Chiranjeevi sparks row, Chiranjeevi hits back and says "his ticket hike move helped Veerasimha Reddy"

A fresh controversy has erupted in Andhra Pradesh politics after actor and Telugu Desam Hindupur MLA Nandamuri Balakrishna made sarcastic remarks targeting megastar Chiranjeevi in the state Legislative Assembly. The comments, which quickly drew reactions across political and film circles, appeared to wound Chiranjeevi’s ego, prompting an uncharacteristically sharp rebuttal from the actor-turned-politician despite being abroad.

Balakrishna, known for his aggressive public style, accused Chiranjeevi of unnecessary posturing while stressing issues like the hike in movie ticket prices.

His remarks risk unsettling the fragile balance within the TD–Jana Sena alliance. Chiranjeevi, elder brother of Deputy Chief Minister and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan, has long shared a tense relationship with Balakrishna, though the two had set aside their decades-old rivalry during the 2024 elections to unite against the YSR Congress Party.

In a press release, Chiranjeevi clarified that his comments on ticket pricing were not self-serving but rooted in his “natural habit” of politeness and mutual respect, whether addressing a Chief Minister or a common man. He dismissed Balakrishna’s sarcasm as unwarranted, stressing that courtesy should not be mistaken for weakness.