Mohan Babu's take on TCV After displaying his dissatisfaction with the way the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the Telugu cinema were held on the final day of the 3 day festivities, actor-producer Mohan Babu held a press conference at his residence on 1st Feb to tell the media why he had reacted the way he did on 28th Jan, the last day of the TCV.

"Chiranjeevi is friend of mine"
"Firstly I want to clarify that Chiranjeevi has been my friend for a long time now and what ever I said at the TCV was not meant about him. He is an important part of the film industry and has been for the past 30 years. I do not understand why he had reacted in such an aggressive manner to my speech, where I was just pointing out the mistakes committed by the TCV committee. Chiranjeevi spoke about our industry people not getting recognition in national film festivals but what about the great actors and film personalities of the Telugu Film Industry who were ignored at out very own TCV".

"Films have no caste and religion"
It is being said that some people have insulted my guru Dasari Narayana Rao and me in Vijayawada and Chiranjeevi in Tirupathi, because of what happened at the TCV. I do not support such kind of actions. Filmmakers and actors have no caste and religion. If people were to act in films made by only their caste people I doubt that even a single film would be successful. I request fans not to fight among themselves and not do anything that you might later regret.

"The organizers of TCV used the names of Dasari and Ramanaidu as proxies"
"The TCV was not organized properly. The committee members did not work with the confidence of the cine workers. They have totally ignored the people who had laid the very foundation of this Industry whose 75 years we were celebrating. That should have been their foremost duty. They merely used the names of Dasari Narayana Rao and D.Ramanaidu."

"The word Legend is not used for living people"
"Each actor or film maker is great personality in their own way. It is pointless on debating as to who is a celebrity and who is a legend. I have never heard, of anybody who is alive, being addressed as a legend with the exception of Mother Teresa and Nelson Mandela who were and are referred to as the 'Living Legends'. The term Legend is not commonly used to for living people."

"What right does this silly fellow have to give away the NTR AWARD?"
"One silly fellow, who calls himself as the convener of the TCV, said that when I achieve greater heights in the film industry, he will confer the legend award upon me during the Telugu Film Industry's 100 year celebrations. I have acted in 100 films as the lead actor of the 510 films that is acted in. In terms of number of films produced I am the third biggest producer after D.Ramanaidu and Ramoji Rao. I provide 25% free education to many children, irrespective of caste and creed, through my educational institution. I was elected as a Rajyasabha member and was recently awarded the Padma Sri. That is not enough I suppose. And who is this silly fellow to give me a legend award anyway.
This silly fellow also announced that he will give away the NTR award this year. I ask what right he has to give away my annagaru's (older brother's) award. In which way is he related to my annagaru that he thinks himself credible of giving away the NTR award? It is not proper on his part to use the name of the late NTR, for his own political means."

"Our CM YSR was treated very shabbily"
"The congress government had time and again helped our industry grow. It (specially Marri Chana Reddy and Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy) helped the film industry immensely whether it was in terms of infrastructure or the land that they had given us at low costs. Yet the TCV committee had treated our CM Y.S.Rajasekhar Reddy and K.Rosaiah very shabbily.

Also said and done, the TCV was like a nightmare. The industry people have degraded themselves in the public eye and we have to now strive to regain our lost respect and dignity".