Two days into the release of Family Star in 2024, social media stood divided. One section felt that a toxic set of Netizens was deriving a sadistic pleasure by mocking the actor's serial failures at the box-office. Appearing on a YouTube channel, a social media influencer at that time claimed that producer Dil Raju was warned about the impending "hate campaign" against him (VD) by the actor himself. "The other day, I interacted with Dil Raju. He revealed to me that VD had told him to be prepared for a barrage of negativity against Family Star," the influencer said.
Interestingly, ahead of the release of Kingdom, producer S Naga Vamsi has wondered why there is so much online negativity directed at VD. Joining the issue, YouTuber Ragadi states that entrenched interests in the Telugu film industry have always disliked the rise of Vijay. "They never liked that he emerged dominant in the late 2010s. They want only themselves and their family members to be towering forces in the industry. Vijay Deverakonda is not one among them. They see him as an outsider. Which is why you see Vijay being trolled mercilessly on social media every time he makes some speech with a loose tongue. The whole system spends money to make this happen," Ragadi alleged.
Kingdom is slated to be released in theatres on July 31.
