Has Arjun Reddy star Vijay Deverakonda watched Kabir Singh, the controversial Hindi iteration starring Shahid Kapoor? Nope, and he doesn't plan to either. Kabir Singh, which has offended critics but delighted the box office, is almost a scene-by-scene recreation of the Telugu original which is why Vijay Deverakonda has expressed zero interest in watching it. Speaking at a press meet in Bengaluru for his new film Dear Comrade, the 30-year-old actor said, "Shahid has done that film, he has gone through the character and there is nothing for me to watch it again. I know the story, I have done that film, why will I watch again?" reports Cinema Express.
Despite the savaging it received from critics, Kabir Singh has destroyed the box office with almost Rs 260 crore at last count. It is this year's biggest film so far and is shooting up the Bollywood Top 10 list. Director Sandeep Vanga Reddy, who also made Arjun Reddy, has urged Vijay to watch the Hindi version but while he's thrilled that the film is a hit, he seems to have been dismissive of the request. "Kya picture, kya dekhenge. I wanted the Hindi film to be a big hit, because Sandeep is my man. But unexpectedly, it became a blockbuster. Done. No more discussion there," Vijay Deverakonda said, reports Cinema Express.
Arjun Reddy, released in 2017, made Rs 51 crore which, while not at the stratospheric level of Kabir Singh's earnings, was enough to ensure profits of nearly ten-fold. Both films star a shockingly flawed protagonist - a violent and troubled surgeon who sinks into a spiral of drug and alcohol-fuelled rage after the woman he loves marries someone else. Kabir Singh, in particular, has been accused of misogyny and glorifying toxic masculinity; its director turned up the heat by attempting to defend the film, in particular a scene in which the titular Kabir Singh and his love interest, played by Kiara Advani, slap each other. Later, Mr Vanga claimed that the interview, given to film critic Anupama Chopra, had been edited to mislead.
