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Updated: Dec 26, 2018 10:09 IST

Film director Ram Gopal Varma’s upcoming biopic on former chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh NT Rama Rao, titled ‘Lakshmi’s NTR’, has stirred a hornet’s nest over a song that appears to take a potshot at Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh’s current chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

The song, titled ‘vennupotu’, which means “back-stabbing”, focuses on the 1995 August coup staged against NTR by Naidu, the late leader’s son-in-law. The song and its video, viral on social media since its release on December 22, has prompted TDP leader and Kurnool MLA SV Mohan Reddy to lodge a police complaint against Verma, singer Kalyani Malik and the other technicians engaged in the making of the song for “defaming” their party leader Naidu.

Kurnool sub-inspector Yugandhar said the case was yet to be registered as the police are examining whether the complaint falls under the provisions dealing with cognizable offences.

The MLA alleges that he suspected a “conspiracy” by the leaders of the Yuvajana Sramika Rytu Congress (YSRC) to gain political mileage in the coming elections through “sensitive issues” surrounding the life of Rama Rao. Incidentally, Lakshmi Parvati, the widow of NTR, is actively associated with YSRC’s Jaganmohan Reddy after disbanding her outfit TDP-LP. The film’s producer, Rakesh Reddy, also happens to be a sympathiser of the YSRC.

Lakshmi Parvathi was the second wife of NTR while Chandrababu is married to Bhuvaneshwari, NTR’s daughter from his first wife Basvatarakam. Both Parvathi and Naidu continue to share cordial relations.

Verma has tweeted to say he too will “complaint (sic) against the complaint”, and also said that the movie will showcase the “darkest and unexplored” chapters in the NTR’s life.

Speaking to Hindustan Times, Parvati denied any conspiracy behind the film.

“It’s sad that the conspirators are speaking of conspiracy. Did Chandrababu not snatch power from NTR? Did he not remove the party founder from the president’s post? Is it all not true?” she asked.