Vijay Deverakonda, who turned 35 on Thursday (May 9), is one of the most popular names in the Telugu film industry. The ‘Rowdy’ enjoys a dedicated fan following because of his charismatic personality, striking screen presence, and outspoken nature. Vijay began his career with a supporting part in ‘Nuvvila’ and soon garnered attention with his bold selection of roles. Here is a look at five films that bear testimony to his talent.
Pelli Choopulu (2016)
Vijay Deverakonda impressed fans and critics with his earnest performance in ‘Pelli Choopulu’, a comedy drama about two people who fall in love during matchmaking. The film starred Ritu Varma as the leading lady and marked her first collaboration with the ‘Rowdy’. The film hit the right notes with its clean storyline and relatable screenplay, which helped it emerge as a success.
Arjun Reddy (2017)
‘Arjun Reddy’, Sandeep Vanga’s maiden directorial venture, became a rage among the audience because of its bold scenes and edgy storyline. The film featured Vijay Deverakonda as a doctor with anger issues and gave him an ideal platform to showcase his abilities. ‘Arjun Reddy’ became a massive hit at the box office but received flak for promoting “toxic masculinity”. It was remade in Hindi and Tamil as ‘Kabir Singh’ and ‘Adithya Varma’, respectively.
Geetha Govindam (2018)
Parasuram’s well-received comedy drama featured Vijay Deverakonda as the naive Govindam who falls for the charming and bubbly Geetha (Rashmika Mandanna) after meeting her during a bus journey. The heartthrob hit it out of the park with his effortless performance in the film. Moreover, his crackling chemistry with the ‘Kodava Beauty’ added a new dimension to the narrative.
Taxiwaala (2018)
Vijay Deverakonda experimented with his reel image when he starred in ‘Taxiwaala’, a relatively small film with an intriguing subject. The film’s well-written script, which featured a blend of horror and comedy, gave him ample scope to perform. Taxiwaala exceeded expectations at the box office despite releasing amid limited fanfare.
Dear Comrade (2019)
One of Vijay Deverakonda’s most ambitious films, ‘Dear Comrade’ featured a realistic storyline, which centered on the relationship between a short-tempered student union leader and a promising state-level cricketer. VD delivered an intense yet relatively restrained performance in Bharat Kamma’s film and gave proof of his versatility as a performer. He was ably supported by Rashmika who excelled in a challenging role. ‘Dear Comrade’, however, didn’t do too well at the box office
