NOTA makers refute political charges

Vijay Deverakonda’s upcoming bilingual political drama NOTA has been embroiled in a controversy after senior Congress leaders Gudur Narayana Reddy and Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy have raised concerns that the film may influence the voters and that the trailer reflects the current political scenario in Telangana.

As the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into effect in the state ahead of assembly elections, the duo have requested the Election Commission of India to watch the film and clear their concerns before its worldwide release on October 5.

In response to these concerns, the team behind the film have said that it neither glorifies nor presents any individual or a political party in a bad light. “The timing of NOTA's release is coinciding with the assembly polls in Telangana. So, it's natural for some people to have assumptions about the film's content. They may think that it will encourage the voters to press NOTA and it's supporting a political party. I can vouch that the film doesn't address any such issues and the story is entirely different from what these people have perceived. I don't think a film can influence the youngsters and I'm sure the voters are aware of their responsibilities," says Vijay.

The film's producer Gnanavel Raja too echoed similar views. "The film is based on a Tamil novel and it doesn't target anyone. I urge people to watch our film and enjoy Vijay’s performance as the youngest Chief Minister,” says Raja. Directed by Anand Shankar, NOTA, also starring Sathyaraj, Nasser and Mehreen Pirzada, is simultaneously releasing in Telugu and Tamil on October 5.