Actor Vijay Deverakonda on Sunday urged director Sandeep Reddy Vanga to release the four-hour-long director’s cut of their 2017 Telugu blockbuster Arjun Reddy in a social media post he shared to mark seven years of the romance drama.
Deverakonda emerged as a breakout star with Arjun Reddy, which marked Vanga’s directorial debut. Vanga later went on to direct the film’s Hindi adaptation Kabir Singh starring Shahid Kapoor and was most recently in the news for Ranbir Kapoor’s Animal.
“Give the people 'The SandeepVanga #ArjunReddy full cut' for the 10 years anniversary @imvangasandeep! I cannot believe it is 7 years already, remember so many moments as if it was last year,” the actor wrote in his X handle alongside behind-the-scenes pictures from the sets of Arjun Reddy.
Sandeep Reddy Vanga re-posted Deverakonda’s post and wrote, “Vijay.... for sure we should make it for the 10th anniversary, Missing you more today #7YearsOfArjunReddy.”
Deverakonda recalled that the unedited version of Arjun Reddy was four-hour-long. However, the film's journey to the big screen was marked by creative compromises, as the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) mandated cuts, prompting the director to express his disappointment, feeling that the board had underestimated his artistic struggles.
Despite these challenges, the 2017 release, starring newcomers Vijay Deverakonda, Shalini Pandey, and Rahul Ramakrishna, defied expectations, shattering box office records and grossing an impressive Rs 50 crore.
Arjun Reddy is a Telugu film about Dr. Arjun Reddy Deshmukh (Vijay Deverakonda), a brilliant but hot-headed surgeon who spirals into self-destruction after his college love, Preethi (Shalini Pandey), is forced to marry another man. Struggling with heartbreak, Arjun turns to alcohol and drugs, leading to a journey of pain, anger, and eventual self-realisation. The film is notable for its intense portrayal of emotions and Vijay Deverakonda's powerful performance in the lead role.
In 2019, Arjun Reddy was remade in Hindi as Kabir Singh, starring Shahid Kapoor and Kiara Advani. The remake was a major box office success but faced significant criticism for its portrayal of misogyny and toxic relationships, igniting a widespread debate in Indian cinema.
Vanga's latest film, Animal, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna, and Bobby Deol, was a massive success, grossing over Rs 900 crore at the box office. He is set to direct Prabhas in an upcoming film titled Spirit, which is yet to begin production. Meanwhile, Deverakonda is filming a yet-untitled project with director Gowtam Tinnanuri. He recently made a cameo as Arjuna in Nag Ashwin’s Kalki 2898 AD.
