Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy makers accuse Uyyalawada's kin of blackmail tactics

Actor Ram Charan is bankrolling Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy, a historical war drama starring Chiranjeevi as India's first freedom fighter Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy. Except for some final patchwork, the shooting of the film, directed by Surender Reddy, has been wrapped up and the post-production formalities are underway. However, controversies continue to hinder the makers as Uyyalawada's alleged kin — Lakshmi Dastagiri Reddy and several others — staged a protest at Konidela Productions office demanding compensation for alleged crop damage during the shooting of Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy in their village near Kurnool.

"We met Ram Charan’s representatives at Chiranjeevi Charitable Trust (CCT) on March 11 and they said that all of us would get compensation for the losses suffered. They also assured financial help for giving our insights, but repeatedly failed to honour their promises," informs Lakshmi. 

However, producer NV Prasad, who is dealing with the issue at hand, accuses Lakshmi of resorting to blackmail tactics. "Lakshmi, claiming she is the daughter-in-law of Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy, has migrated to Hyderabad some years ago. Along with 10 others, she has been blackmailing us for a huge sum of money for over a year. They cannot claim copyright for a story that is over 100 years old. If they still have any objections, they can take the legal route," says Prasad. 

He denies filming Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy in Lakshmi's farmlands and adds, "We didn't shoot any part of Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy in their village and there was no damage caused whatsoever."

Prasad also states that other members of Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy’s family see the film as a tribute to his glorious stories and are overwhelmed by the response it has received so far. "They are taking pride in their legacy and are happy that their village is now drawing in a lot of visitors due to our film. As a gesture of goodwill, we have decided to install Uyyalawada's statue in their village and agreed to host a lunch for their people," reveals Prasad.  

Mounted on a budget of Rs 200 crore, Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy features a large star cast that includes Nayanthara, Amitabh Bachchan, Vijay Sethupathi, Jagapathi Babu, Tamannaah, and Anushka Shetty in pivotal roles. The film is slated for release in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, and Malayalam on October 2.