The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Balayya mania sweeps ‘Garjana’ venue

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Balayya mania sweeps ‘Garjana’ venue

Staff Reporter

Fans came from all parts of the State, from neighbouring Tamil Nadu, Karnataka

Youth fill up every inch of space in the 140-acre area
Huge cutouts of stars adorn venue

— PHOTO: NAGARA GOPAL

Telugu Desam Party President Chandrababu Naidu and filmstar Balakrishna admire the photo exhibition at the Yuva Garjana meet at Guntur on Wednesday.

N.T.R PRANGNAM (GUNTUR): It was a sultry afternoon on Wednesday when Balayya mania swept the milling crowds off their feet at the Yuva Garjana held on the sprawling premises of NTR Prangnam, 18 k.m. away from Guntur.

If the milling crowds, particularly, youth, who filled up every space in the 140-acre venue were any indication, one gets the feeling that the Telugu Desam Party president N. Chandrababu Naidu might have hit a masterstroke in roping the Nandamuri clan for the prestigious Yuva Garjana.

People and Balakrishna fans came from all parts of the state and from neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. For instance a motley group of workers from Hosur in Karnataka kept themselves thoroughly entertained throughout the day. “We are a group of 1,000 members who drove down from Hosur in 90 vehicles. We came here to see Balayya,” said Satish.

Huge cutouts of Balakrishna, Harikrishna, Taraka Ratna adorned the venue. However, the portrait of Balakrishna was conspicuous by its absence on the main stage.

Chandrababu Naidu was the first to arrive by a helicopter and landed on the premises of Acharya Nagarjuna University. The meeting begun with a series of addresses by local leaders and it was about 4 p.m. that the two choppers carrying the Nandamuri clan circled around the venue in true filmi style. They got down and drove to the venue and the two-Cessna craft sprayed flowers giving a cinematic and grand opening to the show. The speech of Balakrishna laced with trademark punch lines from his popular movies was an instant hit with the crowds. He began impressively by invoking the name of his father and kept up the tempo throughout. With the actor repeatedly gesturing by hitting across his thigh, the youth went into raptures.

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