In October this year, there arose a controversy involving star host Suma Kanakala and a Tollywood journalist. Here is a brief history for those who are unaware. Suma invited the displeasure of the Tollywood journo by inappropriately joking that the media guys who were present at the film event she was hosting were greedy eaters. "The media people are consuming snacks as if it were a sumptuous meal," Suma said. This didn't go down well with the journo. Suma was questioned about her "disrespectful" remarks. She was asked by the journalist to exempt the media from her sarcastic quips.
Weeks later, it is clear that the whole controversy has proven to be a net negative for the Tollywood media. On Twitter at least, Tollywood media has come to be equated with being hungry for free snacks and dinners at film events.
At yesterday's 'Hanu-Man' event, a journalist asked a silly question pertaining to the use of a firecracker in a poster when it was claimed that the film had no smoking shots/scenes. In the replies section of a viral tweet, many Netizens were found wondering if the journo was not given enough snacks to savour, which is why he asked the pointless question.
Today, as the Telangana elections are on, a Twitter user with more than 14,000 followers had this to say: "So and so journo decided not to cast his vote after learning that no snacks will be served to the voters at the polling booth."
The Tollywood media fraternity can see the damage that the Suma Kanakala controversy has already done. The image of the Telugu cine media has taken a beating and there are no two ways about it.
https://www.teluguvox.com/movies/movie-news/5517-suma-kanakala-vs-tollywood-media-who-is-right,-who-is-wrong.html
