Allu Arjun said the Telugu film industry was the safest place for women to work. Allu Arjun said the Telugu film industry was the safest place for women to work.

Telugu star Allu Arjun attended the pre-release function of upcoming horror comedy Taxiwaala in Hyderabad on Sunday. While heaping praise on the film’s cast and crew, the DJ star also briefly talked about the #MeToo movement. “Amid this #MeToo movement, my brother and I feel that more women should come into the industry,” he said.

Allu Arjun suggested that the Telugu film industry was the safest place for women to work. “I’m telling you, among all industries, the Telugu film industry is the cleanest. You can ask female actors who are working here and they will vouch for this,” he said, adding that “Telugu cinema treats its women with maximum respect.”

The actor also praised newcomer Priyanka Jawalkar, who is making her screen debut with Taxiwaala. “I enquired about Priyanka. I asked her whether she was a Telugu girl. I was told that she is a Marathi girl but grew up in Anantapur. I feel that any person who likes Telugu culture is one of us. She is a Telugu girl,” he said, wishing that more girls from outside Telugu states should join the Telugu film industry.

“I invite each and every girl to come to our industry,” he added.

Allu Arjun was also very generous in his praise of Vijay Deverakonda, the leading man of Taxiwaala. “Unlike me, Vijay did not have the support of big filmmakers to kick-start his career. He really worked hard to be where he is today. He is a self-made man. And no matter how successful I become, I can never claim that I was a self-made man,” the actor said.

He also advised Vijay not to take negative comments about him to heart. “There will be a group of people who won’t like your success. You should not worry about them. Know that I’m one of them who really enjoy watching you succeed,” Allu advised Vijay.

Directed by Rahul Sankrityan, Taxiwaala will hit screens on November 17.

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