‘There’s No Sympathy Left For Vijay Deverakonda’ : Naga Vamsi

In an exclusive interview with Gulte.com, producer Naga Vamsi came to the defence of actor Vijay Deverakonda, saying the criticism around the Kingdom actor is often exaggerated and unfair. Vamsi, who is bankrolling the film under Sithara Entertainments in association with Fortune Four Cinemas, said Vijay is being “targeted” for things he says, regardless of context or intent.

Speaking to Gulte, Vamsi said, “I honestly don’t know why Vijay is being targeted. His recent films didn’t work, and he’s already going through a rough patch. At the Retro pre-release, he said something, and it turned into a controversy. Then again, something from an interview was taken out of context. This seems deliberate.”

The producer was referring to the backlash Vijay faced for his comments at the audio launch of Retro, where he said some terrorists “behave like tribals did 500 years ago, fighting without common sense.” A complaint was later filed under the SC/ST Act by tribal community representatives.

Despite Deverakonda issuing a public apology in May, the controversy continued to snowball. Vamsi said the real-life Vijay is nothing like how he is portrayed in headlines. “He used to make bold statements when he was younger, I agree. But now, he’s far more grounded. If you speak to him in person, you’ll see a very thoughtful and calm individual. But somehow, people aren’t ready to give him the benefit of the doubt. There’s no sympathy left for him.”

On the film front, Kingdom is an action drama written and directed by Gowtam Tinnanuri, marking his comeback to Telugu cinema after Jersey (2019). Alongside Deverakonda, the film also stars Satyadev and Bhagyashri Borse. Music is composed by Anirudh Ravichander. The film is set for release on July 31, and a sequel is already in the pipeline.