REPORTERS’ DIARY : Venkat Reddy wonders if Balayya’s vollections vome eith a punch

Cinematography Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy never fails to surprise with his offbeat humour—and Saturday was no different. While addressing reporters, he took a playful jab at actor-politician and Hindupur MLA Balakrishna, quipping, “Balakrishna is known to beat one person every day. Who even watches his films?” That wasn’t all. With a dramatic pause and a grin, Komatireddy added that fans often clicked selfies with him more than with Balakrishna. “But still his films make huge collections. I don’t understand how!” he said, scratching his head in mock confusion. Not stopping there, Komatireddy shared a behind-the-scenes LOL moment with his fellow ministers. Referring to his Cinematography portfolio, he said the ministry is “very sensitive” and joked that people around him had started doubting him for mingling too freely with actors. “I don’t know why,” he laughed, as ministers around him joined in on the banter. Clearly, Komatireddy is bringing both roads and reel drama to the political stage.