#BoycottLaila: Political Comments Trigger Backlash Against Vishwak Sen’s “Laila”
Vishwak Sen’s upcoming film, Laila, is facing unexpected headwinds as a political controversy erupts, leading to the trending hashtag #BoycottLaila on social media. The controversy stems from political comments made by actor Prudhvi Raj (also known as “30 Years Industry” Prudhvi) during the film’s pre-release event on Sunday.
During the pre-release event in Hyderabad, Prudhvi Raj, while discussing his role in Laila, made remarks that were interpreted as a veiled dig at the YSRCP (YSR Congress Party), a political party in Andhra Pradesh. Specifically, Prudhvi alluded to the number of MLA seats the YSRCP won in the 2024 Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections. Specifically, he said, “There was a time when I saw 150 goats in one place. But by the end of the shoot, there were only 11 goats left”. This was interpreted as a dig at the YSRCP, whose seats dropped from 150 to 11. While the actor did not explicitly mention any political party, YSRCP supporters took offense, leading to calls for a boycott of the film.
#BoycottLaila Trends:
Supporters of the YSRCP began trending #BoycottLaila on X (formerly Twitter), expressing their outrage and calling for a boycott of the film. Some users even threatened to leak a pirated HD print of the movie online, a direct attack on the livelihood of everyone involved in the project. The hashtag quickly gained traction, with thousands of tweets demanding an apology from the film’s team.
Faced with the growing backlash, Laila’s producer, Sahu Garapati, and lead actor, Vishwak Sen, addressed the media to clarify their stance and attempt to quell the controversy. Sahu Garapati expressed shock over the situation, stating that he and the film’s team were unaware of Prudhvi Raj’s comments as they were waiting outside for Chiranjeevi, who attended the event as chief guest. He apologized to anyone who felt offended.
Vishwak Sen also apologized for the incident, stating that Prudhvi Raj’s comments did not represent the overall opinion of the film’s team. He pleaded with viewers to separate politics from the film and watch it as a “pure commercial entertainer”. Vishwak clarified that Prudhvi’s remarks were his personal opinion.
Laila, directed by Ram Narayan and produced by Sahu Garapati, is scheduled to release on Valentine’s Day. The film has already faced criticism for Vishwak Sen’s portrayal of a woman in the film, with some finding it to be in a negative light. The latest controversy adds another layer of challenge for the film’s team.
It remains to be seen whether Vishwak Sen’s apology will be enough to appease those calling for a boycott. The incident highlights the sensitivity surrounding political commentary in the film industry and the potential impact of social media campaigns on a movie’s success
