‘Why is Vijay Deverakonda being targeted?’ Producer Naga Vamsi says actor is ‘most misunderstood’

Filmmaker Naga Vamsi believes actor Vijay Deverakonda's real-life persona doesn't match his notoriety. Here's what he said.

Filmmaker Naga Vamsi believes actor Vijay Deverakonda's real-life persona doesn't match his notoriety. Defending the actor while promoting their upcoming film Kingdom, Vamsi told Gulte he believes Vijay is ‘targeted’ and everything he says is being turned into a controversy on purpose. Here’s what he said. (Also Read: Brad Pitt's F1 is like a Telugu film, similar to Nani's Jersey, says Naga Vamsi: 'They took a different backdrop')

Naga Vamsi on Vijay Deverakonda

Naga Vamsi defended Kingdom actor Vijay Deverakonda, claiming he's 'targeted'.

While speaking about the hurdles Kingdom has to cross, given that director Gowtam Tinnanuri hasn’t had a release in Telugu in 6 years after the 2019 Nani-starrer Jersey, Vamsi got candid about the polarising views Vijay seems to invite with every public statement he makes.

“I don’t even know why Vijay is being targeted. He’s already down because his films aren’t working. He said something during the Retro pre-release that became a controversy, and he said something in an interview after that, which was twisted, too,” said Vamsi. The producer is referring to how Vijay compared adivasis to terrorists at the pre-release event of Suriya-starrer Retro in Hyderabad and said, “They (terrorists) behave like tribals did 500 years ago, fighting without common sense.” He was booked under the SC/ST Act over his remarks.

Kingdom is a spy action drama written and directed by Gowtam. It is produced by Vamsi and Sai Soujanya under the banners of Sithara Entertainments and Fortune Four Cinemas. Satyadev and Bhagyashri Borse also star in the film, which will have a sequel. Kingdom, with music by Anirudh Ravichander, is slated for release on 31 July.