Vijay Deverakonda is now at the centre of controversy after a case under the SC/ST Atrocities Act was filed against him in Hyderabad. The case was registered at Rayadurgam Police Station following complaints about his comments at a pre-release event for the film Retro, which allegedly offended tribal communities.
During the event on 26 April, Deverakonda made a comparison between the current India-Pakistan tensions and tribal fights from centuries ago. He said, “If the situation in Pakistan continues with no electricity or water, people there might end up fighting each other like tribes did 500 years ago, without sense or purpose.” He added that people should live together peacefully and avoid conflict.
These remarks were seen by several tribal organisations as disrespectful and insulting to their culture. Members of the Tribal Lawyers Association, along with other groups, filed formal complaints and demanded legal action against the actor. Kishan Raj Chauhan, President of the Association in Bapunagar, stated that the comments hurt the sentiments of tribal people and belittled their history and lifestyle.
Following widespread protests and public outrage, the police registered a case under the SC/ST Atrocities Act against Vijay Deverakonda. The incident has sparked heated discussion across the Telugu film industry and among the actor’s fans.
Meanwhile, Deverakonda’s much-delayed film Kingdom, check out the teaser here, is also in the news. Originally scheduled for release earlier this year, it is now expected to hit cinemas in the last week of July, though an official date is yet to be confirmed.
What happens next in the case remains to be seen, but for now, all eyes are on how Vijay Deverakonda will respond to this serious legal and social backlash.
