“I am sorry”, said Nandamuri Balakrishna. It is not often that you hear this! Balakrishna issued a formal apology through a press statement released by the Telugu Desam Party office a few minutes ago. In case you have not been following the news,Balakrishna has been in the news for some rather shocking comments made during the audio launch of Nara Rohit’s ‘Savitri’.

During the audio launch, Balakrishna made some comments which included the words “kissing women or making them pregnant”. Media outlets and women’s activists have pounced on Balakrishna, demanding an apology.

The statement was released by L.V.S.R.K. Prasad, who is a media committee co-ordinator for the Telugu Desam Party. “I have immense respect for women and I have learnt this from my father. I made the comments in the context of a film story and in a jovial way. They were not meant to hurt anyone or to be taken seriously. If anyone was hurt by the comments, I am sorry”, read the statement.

We are enclosing the full statement for your perusal.