Actor-director Ravi Babu of “Allari” and “Avunu” fame is generally believed to be an ardent supporter of Telugu Desam Party.
For, his father Chalapathi Rao, a close associate of TDP founder and former chief minister of combined Andhra Pradesh late N T Rama Rao, had been associated with the party for a long time.
Ravi Babu also directed quite a few political advertisement films for the TDP during the 2014 general elections in Andhra Pradesh, soon after bifurcation. So, it is nothing but natural to believe that like his father, Ravi Babu also has a strong affinity towards the TDP.
But Ravi Babu has a different story to tell. In a candid talk with Greatandhra.com, he said he had never liked the TDP.
“Frankly speaking, I don’t like that party at all. I told the same to the party leaders, when they approached me for making ad films for the party during 2014 general elections,” he said.
He said he had also explained to the TDP leaders as to why he hated the party.
“It was during Babu’s regime that roads were expanded in Hyderabad, leaving no room for the footpaths. I felt he was more like a rich man’s politician, not of the common people,” he recalled.
However, the TDP leaders requested him to do the ad films for the TDP, since Naidu needed an image makeover and only I could do justice to that.
“I agreed to do the job reluctantly and I had done my part,” said Ravi Babu, who designed the concept of “Job kaavalante, Babu raavali” (If you want a job, bring Babu to power).
Ravi Babu said the TDP leaders had approached him again for 2019 elections, but this time he was firm on not doing any work for the TDP.
“I refused to direct the ad films for the TDP. In fact, I was not interested in doing any political ads. One experience was enough for me,” he said.
Talking about his upcoming movie ‘Aaviri’ that is going to hit the screens on November 1, Ravi Babu said the film was not an extension of ‘Avunu’.
“No part of this movie has a resemblance to Avunu. The reason I didn’t cast Poorna again is that people might think this is the third part in the series of Avunu,” he explained.
The story of ‘Aaviri’ is fresh though the spirit angle is genre-specific, he said.