HYDERABAD: For the past 100 days, film personalities have given colourful sound bites in run up to the elections to the Movie Artistes Association (MAA), but the mother of all bites came on election day when an actress bit another actor from the rival panel on the arm.
The incident shocked the filmdom as voting began for the most bitterly-contested polls on Sunday, but the victim, hero Siva Balaji, chose not to engage in any further confrontation with his attacker, actress Hema.
Hema caught hold of Balaji and dug her teeth into his left arm as he looked back in horror.
Rival actors Prakash Raj and Manchu Vishnu had led a vigorous campaign before polling began during the day.
Siva Balaji, a contestant for the post of treasurer from the Manchu Vishnu-led panel said, “We noticed a person, ostensibly a Prakash Raj panel supporter distributing pamphlets in the ‘no campaign’ area. We tried to stop him, but he fled. While this was happening, I put my hand on the railing and Hema bit me,”
When asked to clarify her act that was caught on tape, Hema admitted to it.
“Yes, I bit him. No one bites without any reason. Ask him why I bit him. He should be able to explain,” actress Hema, who contested as vice-president on behalf of the Prakash Raj-led panel, said.
Actor Naresh, who is the current president of MAA supporting the Manchu Vishnu panel, said the polling was peaceful. “Except for the fact that Hema bit Siva Balaji. There should be no biting but only voting,” he quipped.
The incident left Hema red-faced as more meanings were being read into her biting Siva Balaji.
“It was not a love bite. I was angry that he was trying to prevent me from going to the rescue of a person who was being targeted,” she explained later.
After the polls later in the evening, Siva Balaji was taken to NIMS by his colleagues. “I was given a TT injection and first aid. I will also have to take antibiotics for five days as per the doctor’s advice,” he said about the medical treatment he received for the bite.
