Vijay Deverakonda booked for alleged derogatory remarks Comparing Pahalgam Terrorists to Tribal clashes at ‘Retro’ event

A police complaint has been filed against actor Vijay Deverakonda over remarks he made during the pre-release event of the film 'Retro' starring Suriya. The complaint, lodged by Hyderabad-based lawyer Lal Chauhan at the SR Nagar police station, alleges that the 'Kingdom' actor made derogatory comments towards tribal communities.
As per a Hindustan Times report, lawyer Lal Chauhan alleges that Vijay’s comments about the recent Pahalgam terror attack were degrading towards tribal communities as the actor had compared the terrorists’ actions to clashes between tribal groups.
This comparison provoked anger among tribal associations, who condemned the actor’s statements as disrespectful to their history and culture. The Tribal Joint Action Committee (TJAC) demanded a public apology, warning that failure to do so would deepen the community’s hurt. The police have stated that they will take appropriate legal action after reviewing the complaint.

For the unversed, during his speech at the event, expressed his sorrow over the Pahalgam attack, where 28 tourists were killed. He also said, "Terrorist Kodukulaku Saraina Education ippiste.. ila brain wash avvakunda untaru. 500 years kritam tribals kottukunnatlu ila buddhi lekunda, common sense lekunda ilanti panulu chestunnaru." Vijay compared the terrorists' actions to clashes between tribal groups from 500 years ago, implying they acted without common sense.

He also said that educating terrorists is key to preventing brainwashing and violence. Vijay strongly asserted that Kashmir belongs to India and criticized Pakistan, saying the country is struggling with internal problems and that its people are fed up with their government. He suggested that Pakistanis might revolt against their rulers without India needing to take military action.
After the attack, the 'Kushi' actor recalled his visit to Pahalgam while shooting for the film two years ago and shared his fond memories of the locals. However, his analogy likening terrorists to tribal conflicts from centuries ago is seen as insensitive by the tribal groups.
Recently, the 'Arjun Reddy' actor issued an apology letter on social media, where he addressed the message as "To my dear brothers". He clarified that his remarks were never intended to hurt or target any community, especially the Scheduled Tribes, whom he deeply respects and considers an integral part of the country. Vijay explained that his use of the word “tribe” was meant in a historical and dictionary sense, referring to ancient social divisions and conflicts among clans centuries ago, not the modern classification of Scheduled Tribes established during colonial times.

On the work front, Vijay is working on his upcoming film, 'Kingdom' by Gowtam Tinnanuri, which will be a spy action thriller. The film stars Vijay Deverakonda as Suri, alongside Bhagyashri Borse as the female lead. Filming began in June 2023 across various locations including Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Kerala, and Sri Lanka. The movie will be released on May 30th, 2025.
The film features music composed by Anirudh Ravichander. Recently its first single which had Vijay Deverakonda and Bhagyashri Borse's charming screen presence, stylish visuals with Anirudh's catchy composition and modern beats.

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