It has all the ingredients of a silver-screen blockbuster. A famous actor’s daughter elopes with her lover. A looming threat from the girl’s powerful father forces the on-the-run couple to seek help of police. And finally the law steps in to shield them from her father’s wrath.

But has this unscripted potboiler ended happily for Telugu megastar Chiranjeevi’s daughter, Konedela Srija? Well, Chiranjeevi now says that he was a little distraught over his 19-year-old daughter fleeing with Sirish Bhardwaj, a 22-year-old engineering graduate in Hyderabad, but now all is forgiven and the couple has his blessings. “Sweety, we want you to be happy wherever you are," the actor was quoted as saying in Hyderabad.

Yet, the Delhi high court decided not to take any chances with the now-raging, now-mushy Chiranjeevi. On Monday, the court directed Delhi Police to protect the couple after the newly weds knocked the doors of judiciary claiming their lives were in danger.

“Delhi police would be kept informed by the petitioners about their residential address in the capital. The police shall give necessary protection so that their lives face no danger," Justice S N Dhingra said after hearing all the parties. The couple was present in the courtroom during the hearing.

Taking note of the pleas of the couple that they feared for their lives since they married against the wishes of their respective families, Justice Dhingra granted them police protection, as sought in the petition. However, the Telugu actor, through his counsel, assured the judge he bore no ill will towards the newly weds.

Appearing on behalf of the young couple, senior advocate Pinky Anand said if the HC didn’t step in, the petitioners might meet the same fate as Rizwanur Rahman, the Kolkata graphic designer who was allegedly murdered by his in-laws, a powerful business family who disapproved of the match.

“Srija and her husband have been hounded out of Hyderabad and the boy has been foisted with false cases. There is a possible issue of caste which is why the respective families are not happy with the wedding. Sirish faces kidnapping and fake passport cases which have been filed against him at the instance of the bride’s family," Anand said, arguing for police protection.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 23rd, 2007 at 2:52 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.