In a rare show of solidarity, several leading Telugu stars including Chiranjeevi, Mahesh Babu, Kajal Aggarwal, Daggubatti Rana, Raashi Khanna and several directors came in support of actor Vijay Deverakonda, and his campaign to shut down gossip websites with #KillGossipWebsites. Vijay launched the campaign after he was allegedly targeted by entertainment website ‘Great Andhra’ which carried a series of motivated articles against him.
In a controversial article titled ‘Vijay Deverakonda insulting poor people’ - the entertainment website went after the Arjun Reddy star questioning his relief campaign during the coronavirus crisis, accusing him of “hungama” for coming up with the initiative.
In a bid to help middle class families in the Telugu states who have lost jobs and are suffering due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Vijay Deverakonda recently started a fundraising drive to supply essentials through his NGO ‘Deverakonda Foundation’. The actor donated Rs 25 lakh towards this and through donations received another Rs 75 lakh to help around 7500 families.
Infuriated with the article, on Monday evening Vijay Deverakonda released a video slamming the website and their controversial article. He alleged that it was a clear hit job for not giving them an interview. “Two days ago, they asked me for an interview, when I denied, this is the repercussion,” Vijay said.
Terming gossip websites a “menace” to the society, the actor said, “Many actors, directors and producers are victims to these gossip websites. Every reader is a victim, I am a victim too, because they use us and feed us with false information. They will also thrust upon their wrong opinions on us and make money out of it.”
The actor said that he wanted to speak about the menace of gossip websites for a long time, who violate personal privacy of actors and ethics. The actor said that these websites have targeted him over his philanthropic work. The actor shot back, “Who are you to ask me for donations? You feed off our industry. Our industry has to give advertisements for your websites. If we won’t, you threaten to reduce our film ratings. ‘If you ask for an interview, we should give, else you will write malicious articles against us, or create a false narrative against us.’”
The actor said that there is total transparency in his fundraising drive with regular updates.
Another article from the same website, which has been taken down since, questioned Vijay Deverakonda’s intent behind doing separate initiatives and not allying with Chiranjeevi’s campaign. The article insinuated that Vijay Deverakonda wanted to run a parallel industry.
Shortly after sharing the video and giving a call to boycott gossip websites, actor Mahesh Babu came in support of Vijay Deverakonda. Asking the support of his colleagues, Mahesh Babu wrote, “I call upon the industry to act upon these fake websites that live off us and disrespect and lie about us collectively.”
I stand by you brother @TheDeverakonda #KillFakeNews #KillGossipWebsites https://t.co/mk5enwj5Pm pic.twitter.com/ESYodVIQbw
— Mahesh Babu (@urstrulyMahesh) May 4, 2020
Support has been pouring in from the industry. Directors Koratala Siva, Harish Shankar, Anil Ravipudi, Vamsi Paidipally, Sandeep Reddy Vanga, Puri Jagannadh, and actors like Ravi Teja, Rana, Radikaa Sarathkumar, Charmee, Allari Naresh, Kartikeya and several others have come in support of Vijay Deverakonda.
Spoken out well my man!! @TheDeverakonda @SureshProdns and I stand by you!!#KillFakeNews #SpreadPositivity https://t.co/HQXMhMEgk5
— Rana Daggubati (@RanaDaggubati) May 4, 2020
Full solidarity @TheDeverakonda you couldn’t have put it better https://t.co/Fsok4KzzG7
— Kajal Aggarwal (@MsKajalAggarwal) May 5, 2020
Well said Vijay @TheDeverakonda - completely with you. We are here doing what we do at the cost of losing precious time with our loved ones - only to wake up to baseless rumours. Our silence cannot be your weapon. #KillFakeNews #SpreadPositivity https://t.co/n36NIoUhhO
— Allari Naresh (@allarinaresh) May 4, 2020
With you VD! @TheDeverakonda
— Raashi (@RaashiKhanna) May 4, 2020
This is so brave! #killfakenews #SpreadPositivity https://t.co/lRCsqeZaSn
This is the need of the hour! I stand by you @TheDeverakonda. Let’s all ( audiences, fans, film industry) stand united against fake news and useless Gossips. #KillFakeNews #KillGossipWebsites https://t.co/2NGIw4fXbf
— Ravi Teja (@RaviTeja_offl) May 4, 2020
‘Mega Star’ Chiranjeevi said that he himself is a victim of these gossip websites. Addressing Vijay Deverakonda, the veteran actor tweeted, “I can understand your pain. Because of irresponsible writing, like you, I and my family suffered several times. We stand by you. Please don't let anything deter your spirit.”
డియర్ విజయ్@TheDeverakonda మీ ఆవేదన నేను అర్ధం చేసుకోగలను.బాధ్యతలేని రాతల వల్ల,మీలా నేను నా కుటుంబం బాధపడిన సందర్భాలు చాలా ఉన్నాయి.We stand by you. Pl don't let anything deter ur spirit to do good.Humbly request Journo friends not to peddle individual views as news.#KillFakeNews
— Chiranjeevi Konidela (@KChiruTweets) May 5, 2020