Tollywood: Director Naveen Medaram addresses 'Devil' controversy; pens emotional note
What's the story
Naveen Medaram—the director initially in charge of Nandamuri Kalyan Ram's upcoming Telugu film Devil—has finally spoken up about the controversy surrounding the movie. In an emotional social media post, Medaram shared that he dedicated over "three years" to the project and filmed for "105 days." Despite his hard work, he claimed he was not credited as the film's director. Medaram also clarified that he has not taken any legal action against anyone. The film is releasing this week.
Statement
'Every element of the film bears my personal touch'
Medaram explained his role in creating Devil, saying, "From conceptualizing the script to developing the screenplay, meticulously selecting costumes to fabrics, choosing locations to designing sets, every element of the film bears my personal touch, realizing my artistic vision." He added that the film was his creation and would always be "a film by Naveen Medaram" for him. To recall, the directorial credits were given to producer Abhishek Nama midway through production without any explanation.
Controversy
Controversy due to ego and greed: Medaram
In an Instagram post, the writer-director also emphasized that his silence should not be seen as an admission of guilt or wrongdoing. He attributed the controversy to "a few careless decisions driven by pure ego and greed." Notably, Medaram did not mention anyone's name in his post. Despite feeling disheartened by not receiving credit for his alleged work, Medaram expressed determination to bounce back and focus on his career.
Insights
Medaram heaped praise on Kalyan Ram's dedication
Medaram also thanked actor Kalyan Ram, who headlines the project, saying, "Kalyan Ram sir kept his heart and soul working tirelessly for this film giving his 100%." He encouraged people to watch the film in theaters and expressed confidence that Devil would be a blockbuster. The movie, which also stars Samyuktha Menon, Malavika Nair, Elnaaz Norouzi, Mark Bennington, and others, is set to release on Friday (December 29).
New project
Meanwhile, Medaram announced new project
Besides addressing the controversy, Medaram revealed that he has signed a new project and is working on an exciting script. He promised to share more details about the movie soon. The filmmaker is known for helming Nice 2 Meet U (2014) and London Life (2016). Meanwhile, Devil, produced by Devansh Nama, Mohit Rawlyani, and Nama under the Abhishek Pictures banner. It features music by Harshvardhan Rameshwar and cinematography by Sounder Rajan.