A General Body meeting of the Telugu Film and Television Dancers and Dance Directors’ Association (TFTDDA) on Sunday snowballed into a major controversy after videos from the meeting went viral, fuelling speculation of a rift between choreographers Jani Master and Sekhar Master. The incident, which reportedly required police intervention, put the association’s internal dispute under the spotlight. On Monday, association president Sumalatha, who is also Jani Master’s wife, addressed a press conference to explain the developments. She maintained that the issue was not a personal clash but an internal dispute over the association’s governance, election process and alleged financial irregularities. The row also drew the attention of the Telugu Film Industry Employees Federation (TFIEF) before Megastar Chiranjeevi stepped in to mediate between the two camps.TFTDDA president Sumalatha alleges financial irregularitiesAccording to Sumalatha, the current executive committee believes only the posts vacated by members who resigned require elections, as the remaining office-bearers still have about one-and-a-half years left in their elected term. “We are not against the Federation. Our only stand is that by-elections should be held only for those who resigned. There is no rule in our by-laws that says the entire executive committee must be dissolved because some members stepped down,” she said. She further alleged that the resignations followed the current leadership’s decision to question financial irregularities involving former office-bearers. “We placed evidence of financial irregularities before the General Body. Instead of questioning those responsible and recovering the association’s money, some Executive Committee members resigned in support of them and demanded that the entire committee be dissolved. Whether it is one rupee or several lakhs, fraud is still fraud,” Sumalatha alleged. She maintained that the association was merely following its by-laws by filling only the vacant posts through by-elections.
Shekhar master and Jani master
Jani-Sekhar viral clash sparks rift speculationVideos from the meeting showing a heated exchange between Jani Master and Sekhar Master quickly went viral, fuelling speculation of a rift between the two choreographers. Jani Master later clarified that there was no personal feud between them.At a press meet on Monday, Sumalatha said the exchange took place during a Labour Department-supervised General Body meeting convened after around 10 Executive Committee members resigned. She alleged that several members were prevented from entering the venue, leading to minor scuffles that required police intervention. “Many people were stopped from coming in. The media arrived, the police came after minor scuffles broke out, and despite everything, 78 members cast their votes. Of them, 75 voted in favour of by-elections,” she said, adding that the association would proceed with by-elections based on the majority decision.
A few misleading videos and false reports have been doing the rounds over the last couple of days…. I want to make this clear… there is absolutely no misunderstanding or conflict between me and Sekhar Master anna. We are one family and we have always stood by each other
Jani Master
Screengrab from the viral video showing the heated exchange between Jani master and Sekhar master
TFIEF demands full executive committe elections; TFTDDA stands firm on by-electionsThe Telugu Film Industry Employees Federation (TFIEF), the umbrella body representing 24 film workers’ unions, reportedly favoured fresh elections for the entire executive committee instead of by-elections for only the vacant posts.According to Sumalatha, the Federation wanted the association to include an agenda proposing elections for the entire committee. “We respect the Federation and are not against it. But the Federation cannot interfere in our association’s internal affairs or decide our agenda. The General Body is the supreme authority, and we are only following our by-laws,” she said.What happens next?Of the 78 members who cast their votes, 75 supported holding by-elections for the vacant posts, while three opposed the move. Based on the outcome of the ballot, the association announced that by-elections will be held on July 26 to fill the vacant positions
