Vijay Deverakonda clarifies remarks on online film campaigns amid ‘Ranabaali’ and ‘Jailer 2’ buzz
Vijay Deverakonda’s remarks about coordinated online campaigns against films have attracted attention as his upcoming period drama ‘Ranabaali’ prepares for its theatrical release on October 16, shortly after Rajinikanth’s ‘Jailer 2’, directed by Nelson.
Speaking at a promotional event for ‘Ranabaali’, which also stars his wife Rashmika Mandanna, Vijay discussed what he believes can happen when negative opinions about a film appear repeatedly across social media.
He explained that an individual is entitled to prefer one movie over another. However, he suggested that when a large number of people express identical criticism, it may indicate a coordinated effort rather than a collection of independent opinions.
Using ‘Ranabaali’ and ‘Jailer’ as an example, Vijay said that a person choosing to watch Rajinikanth’s film instead of his own was simply exercising personal preference. He questioned whether the situation would be different if 50 or 60 people repeated exactly the same criticism, suggesting that organised promotion or paid activity could be responsible.
His comments subsequently drew interpretations that he was targeting ‘Jailer 2’. However, the remarks were intended as a broader observation about the film industry and the possibility of coordinated online commentary, rather than a direct criticism of Rajinikanth’s upcoming movie.
‘Ranabaali’ reunites Vijay and Rashmika after their previous collaborations in ‘Geetha Govindam’ (2018) and ‘Dear Comrade’ (2019). Directed by Rahul Sankrityan and written by Pramod Tammineni, the upcoming period action drama marks their first on-screen pairing since their recent marriage.
The film is produced by Naveen Yerneni and Y Ravi Shankar under the Mythri Movie Makers banner. Actor Arnold Vosloo is also part of the cast.
Jishnu Bhattacharjee and Nirav Shah are handling cinematography, while Ajay–Atul have composed the music. Karthika Srinivas R is the editor, and Vithal Kosanam is responsible for production design. The action sequences feature stunt coordinators Yannick Ben, Andy Long Nguyen and Rabin Subbu, with Archana Rao serving as costume designer.
With the two films arriving close together, Vijay’s comments have added another talking point to the discussion surrounding online film promotion, audience reactions and the competitive atmosphere surrounding major releases.
