Vijay Deverakonda says boycott trends don't just affect Aamir Khan 'but also the economy'

Vijay Deverakonda urged the audience to understand the impact of boycott trends after Aamir Khan's Laal Singh Chaddha failed the box office. Calling it a misunderstanding, he mentioned how it can hamper the movie business and the lives that depend on it.

Actor Vijay Deverakonda became the latest celebrity to address the ongoing cancel culture in Bollywood after films like Aamir Khan’s Laal Singh Chaddha faced the heat on the internet. Much before the release, people called for a boycott of Aamir’s film. Reacting to it, Vijay referred to the situation between the audience and the actor as a ‘misunderstanding.’

Vijay Deverakonda reacted to boycott trends in Bollywood.

Vijay Deverakonda, who enjoys huge popularity in the South, is soon going to enter Bollywood soon. Ahead of his debut in Liger, the actor stood in support of Aamir Khan’s film. He also urged people to realise the impact of the boycott trend on others who work in the industry, other than the stars.

When asked about his thoughts on the boycott calls, the actor told India Today, “I just think on a film set, other than the actor, director, and actress, there are many other important characters, there are 200-300 actors working on a film and all of us have staff members, so a film gives employment to many people and is a source of livelihoods for many. When Aamir Khan Sir makes a Laal Singh Chaddha, it is his name that stars in the film, but there are 2000-3000 families that are being provided for.”

“When you decide to boycott a film, you are not only affecting Aamir Khan, you are affecting thousands of families who lose work and livelihoods. Aamir Sir is someone who pulls the crowd to the theatres. I am not sure why this boycott call is happening, but for whatever misunderstanding, this is happening, please realise you are not affecting Aamir Khan alone but the economy. It is a much bigger picture,” he further said.

Laal Singh Chaddha is the Hindi adaptation of Tom Hanks’ Forrest Gump. Besides Aamir, it also stars Kareena Kapoor, Mona Singh and Naga Chaitanya. Released on August 11, the film opened at ₹11.70 crore, an underwhelming figure, and went on to fall each subsequent day. As per reports, it has made a business of around ₹49 crore in the first week.

Talking about the film’s performance at the ticket window, film trade analysts Atul Mohan told Hindustan Times in a reports, “The low opening wasn’t surprising. To anyone who knows Raksha Bandhan, it shouldn’t be. That is a festival where people spend time with family and stay indoors. Its’s not a day for going out to the movies like Eid is. So, the initial occupancy was expectedly low. Beyond that, the film’s ability to grow depends on reviews and word of mouth.”