New Delhi: The drama surrounding the secret marriage of Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi’s daughter Sreeja has turned into a complete filmy potboiler with the newlyweds fleeing to Delhi from Hyderabad.

Apprehending a threat to their lives, Chiranjeevi's daughter Shreeja and son-in-law Sirish Bharadwaj on Monday moved the Delhi High Court seeking police protection.

Nineteen-year-old Shreeja, a student of Chartered Accountancy, had created a flutter by marrying Sirish, her college sweetheart, against the wishes of her family at an Arya Samaj temple in Hyderabad on October 17 in full media glare.

Reports of Shirish being involved in a kidnapping case surfaced soon after the wedding. Shirish had been accused in a kidnapping case of a minor girl five years ago, however he was let off due to lack of evidence against him.

Counsel for the couple, Pinky Anand mentioned before a division bench of Chief Justice M K Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Khanna that the couple got legally married but they feared for their lives because Chiranjeevi was an influential person.

"The couple came to Delhi after changing many cars to save themselves," she said, seeking police protection for them.

Anand urged the court to hear the case on an urgent basis. The bench, taking her submission into account, fixed the matter for hearing on Monday itself.

Breaking his silence on Shreeja’s secret marriage, Chiranjeevi on Sunday wished happiness for her and said, “I was shocked when I came to know about the marriage. The important thing is that my family and well wishers have stood by me during this traumatic period. But now I want to bless my daughter and tell her that sweety, wherever you are, I wish you happiness.”

The superstar’s brother Pavan Kalyan has also come out in support of Chiranjeevi and his family saying, “How can they (the newlyweds) think that we can harm them. We will be happy, if they are happy. There is no need to fear.”

Meanwhile, hundreds of Chiranjeevi’s fans have taken to the streets in Hyderabad in support of the superstar and his family.

(With agency inputs)