Hyderabad, March 15 (AZINS) Following the death of nearly 15 popular Telugu artists in recent, members of Telugu filmdom have decided to perform the Mruthyunjaya Homam.

"Many think the industry is cursed. When I consulted some priests, they suggested the idea of this homam. It's believed to ward off evil and ensures harmony. It's for the goodwill of the entire Telugu industry," actor-producer Murali Mohan, the president of Movies Artistes Association (MAA), told IANS.

In the last two years, well-known Telugu celebrities such as Uday Kiran, Chakri, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, M.S. Narayanan, Sri Hari, Dharmavarapu Subramaniam, Ahuti Prasad, Telangana Shakuntala and D. Rama Naidu passed away.

"According to the priests, the homam is meant to stop unnatural and untimely deaths," he said. The homam will be performed here on March 23, 24 and 25.