Vijay Deverakonda hits out at paid negative campaigns as Ranabaali readies for October release

Actor Vijay Deverakonda revealed it took him seven years to fully understand the malicious online campaigns and paid social media negativity directed against him and his films. Speaking at the trailer launch event of his upcoming periodic action drama 'Ranabaali', he called out coordinated groups using multiple fake accounts to steer public opinion, noting that some paid handles suddenly shared identical reels promoting other films like 'Jailer 2'. He warned that such paid tools would soon be driven by artificial intelligence, questioning why anyone would try to tear down artists who started with empty hands. Directed by Rahul Sankrityan and co-starring Rashmika Mandanna, 'Ranabaali' is slated to hit theaters on October 16 under the Mythri Movie Makers banner, with a presentation by T-Series and music by Ajay-Atul. Director Rahul Sankrityan explained that the film draws from true historical events in Rayalaseema during British rule between 1854 and 1878, noting that a severe two-year famine wiped out over one crore people and sparked the anger behind the story. Producer Mythri Ravi urged audiences to view Vijay Deverakonda positively, describing him as a very good person.

Context

Paid social media campaigns and organized negative reviews have increasingly become major challenges for the film industry, often impacting box office openings. Historical action dramas set during the British colonial era frequently draw on regional archives and local resistance movements to build large-scale pan-India cinematic worlds.