Telugu actor Naga Chaitanya has strongly criticized Telangana Congress minister Konda Surekha for her derogatory remarks about his divorce from actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu. In a statement issued on October 2, Naga Chaitanya described the minister’s comments as “false, ridiculous, and unacceptable.” Konda Surekha had alleged that KT Rama Rao (KTR), working president of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), was involved in the couple’s separation.
Naga Chaitanya and Samantha Ruth Prabhu, who announced their separation in October 2021 after four years of marriage, had previously refrained from addressing rumors surrounding their divorce. However, in light of the minister’s claims, Naga Chaitanya broke his silence to defend himself and his family. In his statement, the actor expressed how painful the decision to divorce was and emphasized that it was a mutual, respectful choice made after much thought.
“The decision of divorce is easily one of the most painful and unfortunate life decisions one has to make. After a lot of thought, a mutual decision was made by me and my former spouse to part ways,” Naga Chaitanya said. He added that the separation was due to different life goals, and both he and Samantha Ruth Prabhumade the decision to move forward with respect and dignity.
Responding directly to the minister’s allegations, Naga Chaitanya wrote, “Today, the claim made by Minister Konda Surekha garu is not only false, it is absolutely ridiculous and unacceptable. Women deserve to be supported and respected. Taking advantage and exploiting personal life decisions of celebrities for the sake of media headlines is shameful.”
Naga Chaitanya also noted that he had chosen to remain silent out of respect for Samantha Ruth Prabhuand his family, but the baseless gossip had gone too far. His statement was a firm response to the growing rumors that KTR, a prominent political figure, had interfered in the actor’s personal life and influenced his divorce.
Earlier in the day, Samantha Ruth Prabhu had also reacted to the controversy, asking the minister to refrain from using her name for political gain. Additionally, veteran actor Nagarjuna, his wife Amala Akkineni, and their son Akhil Akkineni expressed their displeasure over the comments made about their family.
The controversy stems from a viral video in which Konda Surekha accused KTR of influencing the lives of celebrities and being involved in drug-related controversies. She also suggested that many heroines left the film industry due to KTR’s influence.
Naga Chaitanya and Samantha Ruth Prabhuended their marriage in 2021, and in August 2023, Naga Chaitanya got engaged to actor Sobhita Dhulipala.
