Allu Arjun and Sreeleela in trouble? Students' Federation demands case against actors, here's why

Actors Allu Arjun and Sreeleela are facing flack from the All India Students’ Federation’s (AISF) for their controversial endorsement of an educational institute. The student body's Vijayawada chapter has shared a video demanding cases against the actors for their alleged misleading ads. The group demanded that the actors should face similar consequences as those in the industry who were booked for promoting betting apps on social media.

Students against Allu Arjun and Sreeleela ad

In the video, a representative from the group held up a front-page advertisement, featuring Arjun and Sreeleela.

He said, as per Hindustan Times, "Actors like Sreeleela and Allu Arjun endorse some educational institutions and mislead students. They are saying no one but students at Sri Chaitanya get good ranks and are being offered a good education. They are taking money to promote such brands, and those who believe them are paying lakhs of rupees and facing numerous problems in the hostels.”

The rep also claimed that Arjun and Sreeleela signed up for the ad without even fact-checking the claims about the institute.

“We demand that cases be filed against Sreeleela and Allu Arjun for ruining students’ lives. The same must be done here, like cases filed on actors endorsing betting apps. These actors don’t even know if these students have gotten these ranks before agreeing to advertise. We demand that action be taken against them,” the person added.

Meanwhile, Allu Arjun and Sreeleela are yet to respond to the claims.

Case against celebrities for promoting alleged betting apps

Earlier last month, cases were filed against actors, including Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Vijay Deverakonda, Lakshmi Manchu, Pranitha Subhash and Nidhhi Agerwal for allegedly promoting betting apps on social media. It also included other 19 social media influencers.

The complaint was lodged by a 32-year-old businessman, PM Phanindra Sarma who accused the celebrities were endorsing the betting apps via pop-up ads and other means.

In his complaint, he claimed that during a conversation with youth in his community, he discovered many individuals had been influenced to invest their money in these gambling apps, which were heavily advertised by social media personalities.

A case was registered under sections of the BNS, the Gaming Act, and the IT Act on March 19 at the Miyapur Police Station in Hyderabad.

Later, Vijay Deverakonda's team issued a statement. It read, "This is to inform the public and all concerned parties that Vijay Deverakonda has officially entered into a contract with a company solely for the limited purpose of serving as a brand ambassador for skill-based games. His endorsement was strictly confined to regions and territories where online skill-based games are legally permitted.

"It is important to clarify that skill-based games, including online games such as rummy, have been repeatedly recognized by the Honourable Supreme Court of India as distinct from gambling or gaming. The court has upheld that such games involve skill rather than chance, making them legally permissible."

Prakash Raj also issued a clarification through a video.

Rana Daggubati shared that he was in “full compliance with the law.”