Vijay Deverakonda is currently busy promoting his film Kingdom, set to release on May 30. Directed by Gowtam Tinnanuri, the film’s latest released song has already climbed the charts. Following Kingdom, Vijay will start shooting for a new film with director Rahul Sankrityan, produced by Mythri Movie Makers. The duo earlier collaborated on Taxiwala, a hit.
Now, reports suggest that Rashmika Mandanna will play the female lead in the film. Rashmika and Vijay have previously starred together in Geetha Govindam and Dear Comrade and according to sources, they have also been dating.
Fans have noted the friendly and familiar banter on social media between Vijay, Rashmika,and Rahul Sankrityan, which further hints at her involvement in the project. Rashmika’s film Girlfriend is scheduled for release and Kubera is also set to hit screens soon. She is simultaneously working on a Hindi project.
Meanwhile, Vijay recently stirred controversy at a Retro event where he referenced Pakistan and used the word “tribes.” While addressing the Pahalgam terror attack, he mentioned “tribe” in a historical context, which led to backlash from Scheduled Tribe communities in Telangana, who claimed it was offensive. The actor later clarified that he used the term based on its dictionary definition, referring to ancient human classifications, not modern ST communities. He added that his intent was to speak of peace, progress, and togetherness, and expressed regret if anyone was hurt by the statement.
