Tollywood star Vijay Deverakonda is in the middle of some serious backlash resulting from comments he made in a recent public setting as being offensive to tribal communities. The row erupted while attending the pre-release event for the movie Retro, starring Kollywood actor Suriya, on which Vijay was the chief guest.
In delivering his speech to the public, Vijay allegedly uttered words that were viewed by the public as comparing tribal people to extremists. His words were quick to spark outrage among different tribal groups, whose feelings were deeply wounded and offended by the words.
After the event, tribal association members lodged a complaint at the Raidurgam police station in Hyderabad. They averred in their complaint that Vijay’s address had abusive words such as, “500 years ago, tribals didn’t have elementary common sense and used to fight among themselves,” and also charged him with drawing parallels between them and Pakistani terrorists. Such allegations, they averred, horribly defamed their identity and wounded the pride and self-respect of their community.
On the complaint, Raidurgam police have officially filed a case against Vijay Deverakonda. The controversy has gained momentum very soon on social media, and most users condemned the actor’s alleged statements and demanded a public apology. Hashtags related to the controversy have been trending, indicating the global public sentiment.
Up to now, Vijay Deverakonda has not uttered a word about the controversy or legal complaint. The controversy continues to generate heated discussion, with increasing calls for celebrities to be discreet and responsible in what they say to the public.
