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India Today
29-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
In Vijay Deverakonda's Kingdom, the rise, slump and the road to redemption
Vijay Deverakonda's career trajectory is one compelling screenplay. It has all the ingredients to keep you invested. From witnessing a meteoric rise and facing crushing lows, a triumphant comeback is just around the corner. The actor often talked about how he achieved success in an industry without any backing. While his career saw a lot of highs, it is also a challenging one at 'Kingdom' all set for a grand release later this week, let us take a look at how his career has shaped the actor that he ARRIVAL AND THE RISEDeverakonda's rise as a promising hero began modestly but gained unstoppable momentum through three pivotal films that established him as Telugu cinema's new poster boy. 'Yevade Subramanyam' marked his entry into mainstream cinema, where his supporting role alongside Nani showcased his natural screen presence and acting chops. The film's success opened doors, but it was merely a glimpse of what was to real breakthrough came with director Tharun Bhascker's 'Pelli Choopulu', where Deverakonda played his first solo lead. This slice-of-life romantic comedy, co-starring Ritu Varma, became a runaway hit and established him as a promising newcomer. The film's success proved that audiences were hungry for fresh faces and relatable storytelling. However, it was director Sandeep Reddy Vanga's 'Arjun Reddy' that transformed Deverakonda from a promising actor into a phenomenon. His raw, unfiltered portrayal of Arjun Reddy – a self-destructive medical student consumed by love and rage – struck a chord with younger film's bold content and Deverakonda's fearless performance created a cultural moment, spawning countless discussions and establishing him as the voice of rebellious youth. The angry young man portrayal tapped into the psyche of audiences and is still talked about. 'Arjun Reddy' was remade in multiple languages. While the Hindi remake tasted success, the Tamil version hardly made a high on 'Arjun Reddy's' success, Deverakonda delivered 'Geetha Govindam', a charming romantic comedy opposite Rashmika Mandanna. The film was a massive commercial success, proving that he could pull off family entertainers as well. His chemistry with Rashmika and the film's family-friendly appeal expanded his fan base significantly. THE DEVASTATING SLUMP'Dear Comrade' saw him reunite with Rashmika in a romantic action drama that, while receiving mixed reviews, showcased his versatility as an actor. By this point, Deverakonda had established himself as one of Telugu cinema's most bankable stars, with a devoted fan following and the industry's however, wasn't constant in his film career. It took a sharp downturn with a series of consecutive failures that tested both his resilience and his standing in the crushing failure began with 'World Famous Lover', which opened to negative reviews and failed to connect with audiences despite featuring multiple female actors, including Raashii Khanna, Catherine Tresa, and Aishwarya the most significant blow came with 'Liger', a Hindi-Telugu bilingual that was meant to establish him as a pan-India star. Directed by Puri Jagannadh and produced by Karan Johar, the film "opened to highly negative" reviews. The actor guaranteed a blockbuster success and even made tall claims about its box office collection. However, the film tanked at the box office. It did not end there! The streak continued with 'Kushi' and reached its peak with 'The Family Star'. While 'The Family Star', despite being a reunion with director Parasuram, failed to recreate the charm of 'Geeta Govindam'.The failures weren't just commercial disappointments - they represented a disconnect between the actor's choices and audience KINGDOM BE THE MUCH-ANTICIPATED REDEMPTION?Now, all his hopes are pinned on director Gowtam Tinnanuri's upcoming duology, 'Kingdom'. Set to hit cinemas on July 31, 2025, 'Kingdom's' success will reaffirm the actor's market standing, which has been facing consecutive 'Kingdom' appears to be a return to the intense, character-driven storytelling that originally made Deverakonda a star, it is also home to some intense beats which Vijay Deverakonda has pulled off in the past. Planned as a two-part film series with music by Anirudh Ravichander, the action drama should give Deverkonda a much-needed respite. 'Kingdom' is much more than just another film for Deverakonda – its success could mean a potential career resurrection. The actor's journey from the heights of 'Arjun Reddy' to the lows of recent failures demonstrates how quickly fortunes can change in the world of cinema. If the film is rich in authenticity and has the emotional connect that Gowtam Tinnanuri's 'Jersey' had, it would strike gold at the box rise, slump, and potential redemption of Vijay Deverakonda serves as a reminder that in cinema, talent alone isn't enough – it's the marriage of the right story, the right moment, and the right audience that creates lasting success. 'Kingdom' will determine whether Vijay Deverakonda can reclaim his position as one of Telugu cinema's most compelling performers.- EndsTune InMust Watch
Indian Express
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
When Vijay Deverakonda recalled working at a ticket counter, facing rejections: ‘It was incredibly hard to get in'
Vijay Deverakonda first gained attention for his supporting role in Yevade Subramanyam before achieving his breakthrough starring with Arjun Reddy. Today, he is one of the most prominent actors in the Telugu film industry. However, his journey to success was not easy. In an old interview with GQ, Deverakonda admitted it was 'hard' to break into the Telugu film industry, and shared that he faced many rejections early in his career. Comparing his journey to that of his peers from film families — such as Akhil Akkineni, Naga Chaitanya, Allu Sirish, and Varun Tej, he said, 'It was incredibly hard to get in. The number of auditions, the number of rejections. I had a friend, Naveen Polishetty, whom I'd call and we'd discuss where the auditions were happening, or if someone had called back. For two to three years after college, nothing other than small roles in a couple of movies materialized.' Vijay Deverakonda recalled that he first became interested in acting during his theatre days in college, when he worked behind the ticket counter. 'You have to do everything from selling tickets to managing costumes to handling backstage before they give you a chance to act.' He shared an instance when, after the conclusion of a play, the whole team was called on stage. Instead of entering from the backstage, Deverakonda walked on from the front and saw the whole crowd cheering. He said, 'At that moment, I knew that this is the high I want for the rest of my life.' But Deverakonda didn't enter the film industry without a plan. He had decided that if he didn't make it by 25, he would try something else. His Plan B was to write scripts or direct. Though it was tough for him to get work, he never lowered his expectations from life or his career. He said, 'Even when I was a nobody, I refused to do so many films. I always felt that I was meant for bigger things. People said, 'You will never get an opportunity like this', but I had higher expectations from myself.' Vijay Deverakonda ended up bagging Yevade Subramanyam just days before his 25th birthday.
