Vijay Deverakonda's Kingdom Faces Protests For Hurting Tamil Sentiments
The Telugu film Kingdom, starring Vijay Deverakonda, faces protests in Tamil Nadu for allegedly misrepresenting Tamil identity and hurting religious sentiments.
The release of the Telugu film Kingdom, starring Vijay Deverakonda, has triggered widespread protests in Tamil Nadu, with several groups accusing the film of misrepresenting Tamil identity and hurting religious sentiments. The film, directed by Gowtam Tinnanuri, premiered globally on July 31 but has since become the focus of a growing controversy.
Criticism has largely stemmed from Tamil nationalist group Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK), which has taken strong exception to certain elements in the film. Members of the group claim Kingdom portrays Sri Lankan Tamils in a negative light. Further anger was directed at the film's decision to name its antagonist 'Murugan', a name associated with one of Tamil Nadu's most revered deities, Lord Murugan.
NTK condemned these creative choices, calling them deliberate and insensitive. According to the group, the film maligns both the identity and cultural history of Tamils. In response, protests were staged outside multiple theatres across the state, with party members demanding that Kingdom be banned from screening in Tamil Nadu.
One of the more serious incidents occurred in Ramanathapuram, where NTK supporters gathered outside a cinema hall to obstruct the film's screening. Protesters raised slogans and called for an immediate stop to the show. The situation escalated when police intervened to disperse the crowd, leading to a confrontation between law enforcement and demonstrators. A minor scuffle reportedly broke out during the standoff, prompting the deployment of additional forces to restore order. While no injuries have been reported, security remains heightened in the area to prevent further disturbances.
The film features Vijay Deverakonda in the lead, alongside Bhagyashree and Satyadev in key roles. Despite its star cast and scale, the film's reception in Tamil Nadu has been clouded by the controversy surrounding its content.
NTK has renewed calls for government intervention, pressing the Tamil Nadu administration to impose a ban on the film, which it claims spreads anti-Tamil narratives and disregards deeply held cultural beliefs.
As tensions persist, political observers warn that the controversy may intensify if no response is issued by the filmmakers or the censor board.
Talking about the box office collections, according to the latest figures from Sacnilk, Kingdom earned just Rs 2.25 crore on Day 5, its lowest so far. The film had kicked off with a strong opening of Rs 18 crore on Thursday, but the weekend didn't see any big jump. It collected Rs 7.5 crore on Saturday and Rs 8 crore on Sunday. With Monday and Tuesday showing a clear dip, Kingdom's total box office collection now stands at Rs 43.15 crore.
At the heart of Kingdom is Vijay Deverakonda's Suri, a simple police constable with a very personal mission. He goes undercover in Sri Lanka to take down a dangerous drug cartel, hoping it'll somehow lead him to his long-lost brother, Siva (played by Satyadev).
But things get messier than he imagined. He soon crosses paths with the menacing cartel kingpin Murugan (Venkitesh), and what follows is a high-stakes game of deception, danger, and emotional turmoil. Helping him navigate this chaos is Dr Madhu (Bhagyashri Borse), who is also working undercover.
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