Director Nakkina Trinath Rao, currently working on Mazaka with Sandeep Kishan, Ritu Varma, and Anshu, has stirred controversy during the film’s teaser launch event. His remarks, particularly about the heroines, have gone viral for all the wrong reasons.

Trinath Rao’s first controversial comment was about Anshu, the heroine of the iconic film Manmadhudu, released two decades ago. He mentioned his admiration for her back then but added an offensive remark about her weight loss. He suggested she put on weight as Telugu audiences prefer actresses with “big sizes.” This comment was widely criticised for insensitivity, embarrassing both the audience and the actress. Within a day, media and social media platforms erupted in backlash, calling out the director’s remarks.

The second incident involved the heroine Ritu Varma. Trinath Rao pretended to forget her name during the event, asking for water to “recall” it. This act was seen as a parody of Allu Arjun’s recent public lapse, where he momentarily forgot the name of Revanth Reddy, CM of Telangana, on stage. While it may have been an attempt at humour, it did not sit well with Allu Arjun’s fans, who slammed the director online.

Insiders suggest these comments were deliberate attempts to draw attention to Mazaka, a film previously flying under the radar. While the controversy has generated significant publicity, critics argue that such tactics, though effective in gaining attention, might not translate to audience interest in watching the film. Publicity stunts aside, the director’s approach has sparked a debate on ethical promotion strategies in the Telugu film industry.