Parvathy calls out misogyny in Arjun Reddy; Vijay Deverakonda's brother Anand defends actor on Twitter

Parvathy, along with actors like Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt, Vijay Sethupathi, Ranveer Singh Ayushmann Khurrana, Vijay Deverakonda, and Manoj Bajpayee, recently gathered for a discussion called the 'Actors Adda' on Film Companion.

Parvathy. Image from YouTube

When they were asked if it was the moral responsibility of the actor to select a role that did not endorse misogyny or a patriarchal mindset, Bajpayee said he only selected a character for himself, and it was not the actor's job to think beyond that. Bhatt also expressed her desire to play a negative character like Joaquin Phoenix in Joker, but added the director had shown that Arthur Fleck was "mentally unstable."

Parvathy compared Joker with Sandeep Vanga Reddy's 2017 Telugu film Arjun Reddy and said the Deverakonda-starrer had "the visual grammar of glorification." While Joker too had faced backlash for promoting gun violence, Parvathy said the character's journey was portrayed in a way that did not inspire audiences.

"Whereas if you're saying that there's no passion in a relationship without slapping each other – and I see the comments on YouTube, where people are engaging and resonating with that – you are engaging with the wrong thing in a massive, mob-like manner, where you're inciting violence," Parvathy said, alluding to a comment Arjun Reddy director Sandeep Vanga Reddy had previously made.

Following Parvathy's remarks and the social media support they garnered, Vijay Deverakonda's brother, Anand, who made his feature film debut with Telugu film Dorasaani earlier this year, has taken to Twitter to defend the narrative of Arjun Reddy.

He asserts the protagonist was flawed owing to his anger issues. He also questions why it was wrong in glorifying love, adding Arjun Reddy never showed any type of harassment, abuse or predatory behaviour. The actor adds only a person with "weak/no moral values" would get swayed by a film.

Here are his tweets 

#thread #ArjunReddy "Cut the shackles of a woman's leg, don't chop a man's head off". It's commendable when people voice their opinion in public, even more if it's for a good cause. But any commentary or review on misogyny in Arjun Reddy is absurd/ridiculous.

— Anand Deverakonda (@ananddeverkonda) November 26, 2019

What's wrong in glorifying love, love of any kind. The kind of love we also see in Revolutionary Road, Blue Valentine and The Notebook, for example. And who's anyone to tell people how to love. Don't get me wrong, I'm all against harassment, abuse and predators.

— Anand Deverakonda (@ananddeverkonda) November 26, 2019

I loved the movie, Joker. And if that character wasn't glorified, I don't know what it was. The whole symphony during the climax with hundreds of vigilantes cheering for The Joker makes it a glorification. Eventhough it was all from a make believe world. — Anand Deverakonda (@ananddeverkonda) November 26, 2019

Someonw who might be incited and has weak/no moral values. Something that actually happened in Colorado when The Dark Knight released. Such people will find excuses, no matter what. How do you correct that, societal and policy changes maybe? Don't blame a movie for that! Dot. — Anand Deverakonda (@ananddeverkonda) November 26, 2019

#FilmCompanion

— Anand Deverakonda (@ananddeverkonda) November 26, 2019