These subversions continued till recently, either explicitly or subtly in Telugu cinema,” Vamshi says.įor a long time, NTR remained the undisputed king (or god) of Telugu cinema, even making his political entry with the support of Kammas and Kapus.
This was possible because of the anti-Brahmin movement in Tamil Nadu which had begun making inroads into the Telugu states as well. “For example, in NTR's Dana Veera Sura Karna, where NTR plays four roles, Duryodhana and Karna, the villains in Mahabharata, are portrayed in the most positive manner. Speaking to TNM, Vamshi Reddy, notes how the emergence of the non-Brahmanical castes brought subversion in themes, even in movies that were based on Hindu mythology. Things changed with the arrival of NT Rama Rao in the early 1950s, a Kamma who enjoyed support from both the Kapus and Kammas, owing to lack of representation from both the caste groups. Under the varna system, they are categorised as 'Shudras' but in the state, given the existing socio-economic circumstances, these two communities are considered dominant castes and fall under 'OC'. Kamma and Kapu are both dominant castes in Andhra Pradesh. Among all the castes, Kammas and Kapus (both dominant castes) utilised this opportunity, since coastal Andhra was the epicentre of the revolution. From directors like BN Reddy, Nagi Reddy, KV Reddy to cinematographers like Konda Reddy, this caste group helmed the technical aspects behind producing films.Īround the 1960s, the dominant agricultural castes primarily invested in the film industry with the surplus money generated during the Green Revolution in coastal Andhra. The Reddys were prominent in the industry, mainly as directors, producers and cinematographers. It was believed at that time that women should not act or be seen in movies, therefore heroines and female actors were taken from the Bogam caste, a clan of devadasis,” he writes. “The Kammas and Kapus played lesser acting roles such as comedians, villains, and stuntmen. SV Srinivas, Film and Cultural Studies professor at Azim Premji University, in his book After NTR: Telugu Mass Film and Cinematic Populism, notes how the Kapu and Kamma castes slowly began climbing up the ladder, starting off as workers on film sets and going on to play the roles of comedians and villains in movies. It goes back to the 1970s and 80s when every caste group in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh began identifying itself with different heroes on screen, and the stars began to unapologetically use it to their advantage.įrom the inception of Tollywood in the early 1900s, Brahmins enjoyed a monopoly in the industry for years, until the Kammas and Reddys (another powerful dominant caste) began to make roads for themselves.
However, fan clubs as a phenomenon and the obsession with caste is not new, particularly in the Telugu film industry. Belittling the ‘Chowdhary fans’, the page mocks both NTR and his grandson. The Facebook page Troll Telugu Cinema, on the other hand, blatantly makes fun of the NTR family. This is accompanied with the image of a hoarding with many prominent Kamma actors and politicians with NTR in the centre, dressed as god. NTR as their icon.Ĭharacter is our strength, confidence is our breath These fans consider themselves to be the self-appointed guardians of their star’s image and most importantly, the custodians of their caste pride.Ī simple search with the words ‘Kamma’ or ‘Chowdhary’ (which belongs to the Kamma community) will take you to multiple pages that have either NTR or Jr.
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Apart from fan fights inside movie theatres and fist fights on streets, hero worship rears its ugly head on social media, too, where people are at their abusive best to prove their loyalty to actors belonging to their caste group. Over the years, fandom has taken myriad forms in Tollywood. And this is what happens every time a fan puts his life at risk - the star is again celebrated among his followers,” Vamshi Reddy, Professor of Film Studies at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Tirupati, opines. However, Pawan Kalyan, the star, soon became a spectacle for his benevolent act of providing compensation to the family and reprimanding his fans.
When Vinod was killed, no one questioned the circumstances that led to his death. “Fights between fans of Kapu and Kamma (both dominant castes) actors have become so common that it’s become a matter of pride to proclaim a star’s status.
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