Director Tharun Bhascker abused for Insta post on 'Kappela', files complaint
Telugu director Tharun Bhascker has filed a police complaint with Cyber Crime in Gachibowli, Hyderabad, after being harassed on social media for an Instagram post.
In the post, he urged people to watch Kappela, a recent Malayalam movie, adding that the film doesn't have "a hero screaming loudly and making frequent reentries with a background score, and there won't be any long speeches on farmers, soldiers or India in the last 10 minutes, but still, these are also called movies."
Tharun was referring to tropes that are present in many mainstream Telugu movies, including actor Mahesh Babu's last release Sarileru Neekevvaru.
After he wrote the post, the director said that he and his team were being harassed online by fans who were sending them abusive direct messages on Instagram and other social media platforms.
In response to the harassment, the director also put up another post that said, "This is for all the trollers, the cowards who hide behind fake names, hollow identities. I feel sorry for you. The problem is that you people don't have any self-esteem. That's the reason you choose to hide in a group behind a fake ID, you need an idol, religion and caste or community to feel safe.”
He further wrote: “It's true, I get it, without that sense of security you are nothing, deep down you know it, that's why you hurl abuses, through insults, the moment someone points a finger. You guys are weak. Earlier people used to get affected and it gave you a sense of power but now everyone knows that you are the dogs that only bark but can’t bite. At least dogs get rewarded for the loyalty. You get nothing. So keep wagging your tails, because nothing will stop me from telling the stories that I want to tell. I am only 31, it's been only four years, there is a long way to go.”
However, since the harassment did not abate, the director has now filed an official complaint with Cyber Crime.
To whomsoever it may concern...@hydcitypolice pic.twitter.com/MX5GXfMVX0
— Tharun Bhascker Dhaassyam (@TharunBhasckerD) July 1, 2020
In his complaint copy, the director wrote: “For the past few days, a post that we had put up regarding films in general was distorted out of proportion on social media and was used to troll me and my team.”
The director had reportedly obtained the numbers of the users who were abusing him based on their social media handles, and had called and spoken to them in the presence of the police. However, this did not yield results and he was allegedly threatened. He therefore went ahead and filed the complaint.
Tharun Bhascker shot to fame with Pelli Choopulu, starring Vijay Deverakonda and Ritu Varma. His last movie, Ee Nagarniki Emaindi was also received well by the audience.
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