Vijay Deverakonda has called out what he believes is a wave of paid online chatter ahead of his upcoming film Ranabaali, which is set to clash at the box office with Rajinikanth's Jailer 2. The actor alleged that some of the social media criticism surrounding the Telugu film is manufactured, with people being paid to influence the conversation around the two releases.
Speaking at the trailer launch of Ranabaali in Hyderabad on Thursday, Vijay reacted to the online debate over which film audiences would choose to watch, claiming that some of the buzz favouring one film over the other was not organic.
The two films are scheduled to release a day apart, with Jailer 2 arriving in theatres on October 15 and Ranabaali on October 16.
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Vijay Deverakonda Says 90% Of Online Hate Is ‘Manufactured'
Speaking about the online comparisons between the two films, Vijay said he did not believe all the negative comments reflected genuine audience opinions. He alleged that certain groups were deliberately posting content favouring Jailer 2 over Ranabaali.
“First of all, we can't even call it hate. Because 90% of it is manufactured. There's a batch that drops Reels at a time that they'd rather watch Jailer 2 over Ranabaali, despite it being a Telugu film,” he said.
‘It's Manufactured'
Explaining why he believes such criticism isn't always genuine, Vijay said that there could be more to it than people simply sharing their views when the same opinions keep appearing across social media.
Vijay said, “People can have opinions, but if you see the same opinion everywhere, it's manufactured. What they must understand is that the attacks they're paid for today, AI will do tomorrow. No one can stop it. The person paying them will stop.”
The actor also questioned why people use social media platforms to pull others down instead of supporting something positive. “Use social media to promote better things. What is the point of using it to bring down someone? But that's the world we live in, what to do?” he stated.
What We Know About Jailer 2
Directed by Nelson Dilipkumar, Jailer 2 will see Rajinikanth reprising his role as Muthuvel Pandian. The film is expected to continue the story following the events of the 2023 action film Jailer. The project, bankrolled by Sun Pictures, also features SJ Suryah, Mithun Chakraborty, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Ramya Krishnan and Vidya Balan.
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About Ranabaali
Spearheaded by director Rahul Sankrityan, Ranabaali is set against the backdrop of British rule between 1854 and 1878. The Telugu period drama weaves a fictional narrative inspired by lesser-known chapters of the Rayalaseema region and the gritty warrior named Singanamala Bobbili Ranabaali.
Rashmika plays the role of Jayamma, while Vijay takes on the titular role of Ranabaali, a fierce 19th-century rebel and legend who fought against colonial rule. The film also stars Hollywood actor Arnold Vosloo, adding an international name to its cast.
Mythri Movie Makers is backing the project, with T-Series presenting it and the music has been composed by Ajay-Atul.
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