Vijay Deverakonda on Fame, Failure and Finding Balance | InFocus | THR India

In this edition of The Hollywood Reporter India Vijay Deverakonda sits down with Anupama Chopra for The Hollywood Reporter India after a five-year interval. The conversation explores Vijay's upcoming film "Kingdom," his evolution as an actor, and his philosophical approach to both success and failure. Vijay discusses working with director Gautam and reveals how his perspective has shifted from focusing solely on results to enjoying the filmmaking process. He shares candid insights about finding the confidence to push back creatively, the physical impact of box office disappointments, and his complex relationship with public statements in today's media landscape. Throughout the interview, Vijay reflects on his desire for anonymity despite fame, explaining how he conceptually separates himself from his public persona. He discusses industry challenges including audience desensitization, the pressure for massive box office success, and the difficulty of engaging increasingly distracted viewers. The conversation concludes with Vijay's acceptance of his enduring association with "Arjun Reddy" and his hope that "Kingdom" will add to his list of memorable performances. Despite occasional resistance to media scrutiny, Vijay maintains that he values authentic expression and believes his life experiences, both difficult and rewarding, were essential in shaping his character and career. About MUBI: MUBI is a curated streaming service dedicated to elevating great cinema from all around the globe. From iconic directors to emerging auteurs, there is always something new to discover. With MUBI, each and every film is hand-selected by its team of curators. Discover the best of cinema at your fingertips, streaming anytime, anywhere. Get a whole month of great cinema FREE on MUBI: https://mubi.com/thr 00:00 Introduction 01:18 Welcoming Vijay 01:46 Current state of mind before the release of Kingdom 02:45 Break-down of Kingdom 04:06 On working with director Gowtham Tinnanuri 06:28 Ethical reason for choosing this script over another similar story 07:28 What it’s like on Gowtham’s sets 08:57 How Vijay’s craft and priorities have evolved with experience 11:08 Rebutting the “make-or-break film” label 15:28 Newfound leverage: refusing to shoot until a script feels ready 18:40 Media culture and PR training 23:46 From early-career anger to a calmer, more deliberate mindset 27:03 “The Vijay” nickname controversy and his decision to drop all tags 31:08 Why backlash seems to follow him and the resolve to let work speak for itself 33:33 Guarding personal life 38:33 Need for bigger, higher-stakes cinema 45:36 Moments of industry camaraderie 47:04 Security as an actor 50:02 Accepting that Arjun Reddy will always be part of his legacy 51:22 Closing remarks 51:42 About Mubi