It seems like the controversy around Vijay Deverakonda’s 2017 film Arjun Reddy is not going to die down anytime soon. Recently, actor Parvathy received praise on social media for pointing out the misogyny in Arjun Reddy in front of Vijay Deverakonda at a round table discussion hosted by Film Companion. The actor explained how the movie glorified toxic masculinity and compared it to Joker, stating that in her opinion, the latter was an example of a film that didn't glorify violence but showed the trajectory of a mentally disturbed character.
The discussion soon led to explosions on social media with many applauding Parvathy for speaking her mind and once again pointing out the normalisation of abuse in relationships.
Though Vijay Deverakonda tried defending the film at the round table, it’s only at a session held at IFFI on Wednesday that the actor confessed how he was irritated with the “stupid arguments” on Twitter and how he thinks people have gone overboard with the discussion.
Responding to a question posed by moderator and film critic Sudhir Srinivasan at the session, Vijay said,“I'm irritated and I can’t take it in and if I keep it in, it will become like a tumour inside… I'm normally a very understanding person and I give people the benefit of doubt. There was a genuine intention behind these questions. I didn’t mind the question then at all (at the Film Companion interview). I admire Parvathy and have been watching her films since undergrad. But what irritates me is the social media...people go nuts and there are just a bunch of idiots everywhere. Now I am like today I need to school you guys.”
Not only did the actor make clear how upset he was with the discussions on misogyny surrounding Arjun Reddy, he went on to coin a new term for people on Twitter who have been slamming the film.
“I was going through a tweet and…weren’t they called tweeple? I think now they are “twidiots”. I think we all love taking sides. They want to be black or white but the world is not like that..it’s very grey,” the actor said.
Vijay is apparently soon going to "school" people on social media with film critic Baradwaj Rangan as his moderator.
“I bumped on to Rangan while on the lift today and he asked, 'Vijay, how do you get yourself into all this controversy, yaar?' So I told him let's sort out this sh*t,” Vijay said.
His schooling sessions apart, Vijay’s brother Anand Deverakonda has already rushed to his brother’s aide. On Wednesday, he posted a thread on why it was unfair to compare Arjun Reddy to Joker.
Comparing Arjun Reddy to classics such as Revolutionary Road, Blue Valentine and The Notebook, Anand asked why "love of any kind" should not be glorified. At the same time, he bewilderingly added, "Don't get me wrong, I'm all against harassment, abuse and predators.”
He also wrote how he thinks Joker too is a glorified character.
“But because audience hooted and whistled while watching the movie, it doesn't make them go on a killing spree, does it? Unless there was already a mentally disturbed guy in the audience, who was brought up with bad parenting, abusive childhood, improper guidance.”
But because audience hooted and whistled while watching the movie, it doesn't make them go on a killing spree, does it? Unless there was already a mentally disturbed guy in the audience, who was brought up with bad parenting, abusive childhood, improper guidance.
— Anand Deverakonda (@ananddeverkonda) November 26, 2019
Interestingly, a Twitter user aptly questioned Anand as to why Arjun Reddy should not be seen as a harasser.
“Arjun Reddy wasn’t a harasser? You guys don’t even know the meaning of the word that’s the problem. He literally kisses a girl without her consent, put his head on her lap without consent, everything he does is without consent in the beginning,” the user wrote.
Arjun Reddy wasn’t a harasser? You guys don’t even know the meaning of the word that’s the problem. He literally kisses a girl without her consent, put his head on her lap without consent, everything he does is without consent in the beginning.
— Thangaul (@Thangaul) November 27, 2019