“Kingdom is a film that brought joy to fans’ eyes” – Lead Actor Vijay Deverakonda
Kingdom, starring Vijay Deverakonda, is garnering love from audiences across all demographics and raking in impressive box office numbers. Directed by Gautham Tinnanuri, the film features Satya Dev, Bhagyashree Borse, and Venkatesh in key roles. It is prestigiously produced by Suryadevara Naga Vamsi and Sai Soujanya under the banners of Sithara Entertainments and Fortune Four Cinemas, with Srikara Studios presenting. Anirudh Ravichander composed the music.
Released on July 31 amidst massive expectations, Kingdom has received both critical acclaim and audience admiration. Centered on the bond between brothers and set against a gangster drama backdrop, the film is being described as a fresh and visually stunning experience. Amidst the overwhelming response, Vijay Deverakonda recently interacted with the media and shared several interesting insights.
How do you feel about the audience response to Kingdom?
I’m extremely happy. The response isn’t just from the Telugu states—it’s been phenomenal across other states and even overseas. I particularly didn’t expect such love from Malayalam audiences, especially since we didn’t release a dubbed version there. Yet, the love they’ve shown is truly heartwarming.
What’s your reaction to the film’s success?
Early in your career, you don’t really think about celebrating success—you just hope a hit leads to the next opportunity. When Pelli Choopulu became a hit, I was just happy that I’d get more chances. But now it’s different. A hit film brings more responsibility than joy. Every film carries pressure before release, and Kingdom was no exception. The moment that first show ended and we started receiving positive feedback—it was such a relief and a joyous moment.
Thoughts on director Gautham Tinnanuri?
I love how Gautham handles family bonds and emotions. When he pitched the idea of a gangster drama based on brotherhood, I found it very intriguing. Even in emotional films like Jersey, there are high moments that give you a rush. Gautham is meticulous—whether it’s the hero’s role, shot composition, or music, he pays attention to every detail. For Kingdom, he wrote a very engaging narrative. None of the action sequences are just thrown in for the sake of it; each one is backed by strong emotion.
What can we expect from the second part?
The story has many layers. At its core, it’s about the bond between brothers. But it also touches upon patriotism and the story of a tribal leader. It wasn’t feasible to narrate all of this in one film, which is why we decided to make it in two parts. In the first, we see Soori’s journey to bring back his brother Shiva. Gautham has some incredible ideas for part two. It’s going to be even better than the first.
The scenes where characters vote using weapons got a great response. What was your reaction when you first heard about them?
When Gautham narrated the story, he mentioned those voting scenes but didn’t initially go into detail. Later, when he explained that voting would be done using guns and swords, I found the idea very novel. I believe it’s that uniqueness that made audiences connect with it.
What homework did you do for this role?
After hearing the story, I started researching how people spoke and dressed in that era. I watched several web series for reference. I also worked on my look to appear more solid and intense. I always like staying fit, but for this role, I needed to bulk up to convincingly portray someone entering an empire to bring back his brother. I trained intensively for about six months.
What’s the best compliment you’ve received for Kingdom?
The love audiences and fans are showing is the best compliment I could ask for. Seeing them enjoy the film gives me immense satisfaction. After a long time, I saw genuine happiness in my fans’ eyes. Right after the first show, I got so many calls saying, “We’ve scored a hit!”—it was a feeling I can’t express in words.
There’s a scene where you pull a ship—it’s being compared to the “Jersey moment.” How did it feel while shooting it?
We shot that scene in the intense May heat. During the shoot, I just felt we were creating a strong moment—I wasn’t thinking of comparisons with Jersey. But now that audiences are speaking so highly of it, I’m really glad we pulled it off.
What kind of praise have you received from the industry?
Director Sukumar called after watching the film. He said he absolutely loved it. I really admire him, so hearing that from someone I look up to meant a lot.
When will your film with Sukumar happen?
We’ve both wanted to work together since the time of Arjun Reddy. He also likes my work. I hope a film with him materializes in the future. For now, I’m focusing on the projects currently in my hands.
How will Kingdom’s success impact your upcoming projects?
No matter the film, my goal is always to give audiences a good cinematic experience. My next project is with Rahul Sankrityan—it’s my first time working on a film set against the Rayalaseema backdrop. I really like the dialect of that region. After that, I’ll be doing a film with Ravi Kiran Kola, which is set in Andhra Pradesh and is a completely fresh story. Both Rahul and Ravi are extremely talented directors and have come up with amazing scripts.|
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