‘Superstar’ Krishna’s bond with Vijayawada cast in bronze at Lenin Centre

Vijayawada MP Kesineni Sivanath on Sunday said that ‘Superstar’ Krishna shared a deep emotional bond with Vijayawada.

Speaking after unveiling a bronze statue of the Padma Bhushan awardee at Lenin Centre in Vijayawada, the MP recalled his interactions with the veteran actor. The statue was unveiled by Padmalaya Studios head Ghattamaneni Adiseshagiri Rao and Krishna’s grandson Ghattamaneni Jayakrishna.

Mr. Sivanath said that whenever they met at Padmalaya Studios in Hyderabad, Krishna would affectionately enquire about Vijayawada, reflecting the special place the city held in his heart. He recalled that Lenin Centre was the location where the iconic film Eenadu was shot and said the statue depicted Krishna in the attire of Ram Raju, his memorable character from the film, lending special significance to the occasion. He added that the statue would remain a lasting source of inspiration for the people of Vijayawada.

The MP also extended his best wishes to Mr. Jayakrishna, who is making his debut as a hero under the banner of producer Ashwini Dutt, and expressed confidence that the upcoming film in the Ashwini Dutt–Jayakrishna combination would be a super hit.

Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly Deputy Speaker Raghu Ramakrishna Raju said there could be no other superstar to match the stature of Krishna, whose contribution to Telugu cinema was unparalleled.

Minister Kollu Ravindra said Krishna was the pride of the Telugu people and would be remembered as long as the Telugu community existed. He described the installation of the statue in the heart of Vijayawada as a moment of pride and recalled Krishna’s close association with actors across generations.

Government Whip and MLA Bonda Uma Maheswara Rao, MLAs Gadde Ramamohan and Venigandla Ramu, former MLC and TDP State general secretary Buddha Venkanna, State Telugu Mahila vice-president Shaik Asha, TDP floor leader N. Balaswamy and several others were present.