Hyderabad (Telangana) [India]: Veteran actor Chiranjeevi has found himself in the midst of a social media controversy following remarks he made at the pre-release event of the upcoming Telugu film Brahma Anandam.
The Telugu megastar, known for his illustrious career, sparked debate after expressing his desire for a grandson to “continue the legacy.”
The comments reportedly came during the event on Tuesday when Chiranjeevi was shown a picture of himself with his granddaughters. Reflecting on the image, the Padma Vibhushan awardee said,
“Whenever I am at home, I don’t feel like I am with my granddaughters. I feel like a ladies’ hostel warden, all girls around me, no boys.”
He further added, “Charan, at least next time, give birth to a boy. It’s my wish that my legacy should continue. This girl (Klin Kaara) is so sweet. I’m afraid he’ll give birth to another girl. Lovely kids.”
Chiranjeevi’s comments have drawn mixed reactions online. While some fans defended him, others criticized his remarks as outdated and sexist.
One user on X posted, “#Chiranjeevi has become a JOKER lately. What he speaks is either controversial or misogynistic.”
Another user questioned, “#Chiranjeevi is so casual while saying that he wishes to have a grandson from #RamCharan so that their legacy would continue. Don’t daughters carry family legacy?”
Prominent voices also reacted to the controversy. CPI-M leader Brinda Karat condemned the remarks, stating,
“It is really quite unfortunate and a matter of regret when well-known personalities who are considered opinion makers make such crass, sexist statements which reflect son preference cultures in a country where sex ratios are still abnormally biased in favor of boys. He may have made a comment in a lighthearted manner, but it does have serious repercussions…”
Congress MP Jebi Mather also criticized Chiranjeevi’s statement, saying,
“…It is very sad…It is a very unfortunate statement that only a boy can carry forward the legacy… Boys and girls, both are our assets. We are proud of both. We should really expect them to be well-behaved individuals who do good work for society…”
Chiranjeevi, who has two daughters, Sreeja Konidela and Sushmita Konidela, is a grandfather to four granddaughters—Navishka and Nivrati from Sreeja, and Samara and Samhitha from Sushmita. His son, Ram Charan, and daughter-in-law, Upasana, welcomed their baby girl, Klin Kaara Konidela, in June 2023.
On the professional front, Chiranjeevi is set to appear next in Vishwambhara, a fantasy drama co-starring Trisha and Meenakshi Chaudhary.