The cinematic scene has been roiled with recent developments as the production team behind the Telugu film ‘Family Star’ takes a stand against an onslaught of negative online campaigns. The actor Vijay Deverakonda, known for his compelling screen presence, finds his latest movie being shadowed by an orchestrated string of “trolling” activities. Released on April 5, and featuring a talented cast including Mrunal Thakur, with direction by Parasuram Petla, ‘Family Star’ now occupies the center of an intriguing legal narrative.
The move to seek legal redress has been spearheaded by none other than Deverakonda’s personal manager, Anurag Parvataneni, along with the president of the actor’s fan association, Nishant Kumar. The production responsibilities of ‘Family Star’ were in the hands of experienced producer Dil Raju and Shirish, under the widely recognized banner of Sri Venkateswara Creations. Reacting to the negative tide on social media, the duo took to lodging a cyber crime complaint against those spearheading planned attacks and meticulously crafted negative campaigns against both the film and Vijay Deverakonda.
Through a succinct yet impactful tweet, evidence of the complaint and subsequent police action, which includes tracing fictitious accounts and users, was revealed. The tweet underscored the seriousness with which the matter is being taken and the ongoing efforts by the authorities to address the situation: “Cyber Crime Complaint lodged against individuals who are part of orchestrated attacks and planned negative campaigns targeting The #FamilyStar movie and actor #VijayDeverakonda. The police officials started taking action already […]”
In a public statement, the production house Sri Venkateswara Creations expressed its distress over the situation, noting that certain individuals, as well as social media groups, had been determined to sabotage the success of ‘Family Star’ and stem Vijay Devarakonda’s rising celebrity status. Importantly, the complaint drew upon concrete evidence including screenshots of social media activity, indicating that negative comments were being circulated even prior to the film’s release.
The creators of the film are worried that these negative sentiments pervading social media could detrimentally affect the box office performance of ‘Family Star’. They highlighted that the police have committed to thoroughly investigate the matter and hold accountable the individuals who are maliciously driving social media campaigns fueled by sheer animosity towards Vijay’s movies.
In terms of plot, ‘Family Star’ sketches the life of a middle-class man, portrayed by Vijay, whose routine existence is radically altered by the inauguration of a tenant into his household. Despite the film’s unique storyline, it has been met with harsh critiques both by film reviewers and by a significant portion of the audience, which has exacerbated the concerns of the production team regarding its box office standing.
This incident points to a growing trend where the impact of social media on the entertainment industry is both profound and double-edged: a platform for promotion and engagement with fans, it also serves as a battleground where reputations can be both made and maimed. In this digital era, the line between constructive criticism and malicious trolling has become increasingly blurred, prompting those in the creative industry to seek justice and protect their artistic efforts. As the case unfolds, all eyes are on how this legal move will reverberate through the corridors of Telugu and Indian cinema at large, possibly setting a precedent for how such cyber disputes are handled in the future.
