The controversy around the proposed theatre shutdown in Telugu states has intensified, with distributor and suspended Janasena leader Atti Satyanarayana alleging that Sirish Reddy, brother of producer Dil Raju, was behind the strike call.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Satyanarayana denied involvement in the bandh and claimed he was unfairly blamed. “It was not me who initiated the strike. It was Dil Raju’s brother Sirish Reddy who made the decision. Dil Raju later made statements to deflect the issue and protect his brother,” he said.

This comes days after producer Dil Raju distanced himself from the theatre bandh controversy, stating he had no knowledge of who initiated the call for a strike starting June 1. The proposal was later scrapped after Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan expressed dissatisfaction, especially with the timing of the bandh coinciding with the release of his film Hari Hara Veera Mallu.

In response to the issue, the Janasena party suspended Atti Satyanarayana, accusing him of being the initiator of the theatre shutdown. However, Satyanarayana refuted the claim and alleged that internal industry politics were at play.

The issue has further complicated as public statements from top producers and distributors continue to surface, pointing to ongoing divisions within the Telugu film industry over theatre management and revenue-sharing concerns.