Ahead of the release of Nandamuri Kalyanram’s Devil on Friday, December 29, filmmaker Naveen Medaram broke his silence and issued a statement claiming ownership of the film.
In a long statement, Naveen wrote that Devil is his film “no matter who says what.” However, surprisingly, he did not mention legal action against producer Abhishek Nama, nor did he approach the court to halt the release of the film. Instead, he wished actor Kalyanram success for the film.
Sharing his statement on social media platform X, the director said, “I have dedicated over three years of my unwavering effort to bring 'Devil' movie to life. From conceptualising the script to developing the screenplay, meticulously selecting costumes to fabrics, choosing locations to designing sets, every element of the film bears my personal touch, realising my artistic vision.”
Barring a few days of ‘patchwork,’ he said that he shot the entire film for 105 days in various locations like Karaikudi, Vizag, and Hyderabad. “ To me, it's just not a project; it's my baby and no matter whoever says what, it's a film by Naveen Medaram,” Naveen wrote.
When the film began production, Naveen Medaram was announced as the director, and the first look of the film also had his name. However, his name went missing when the trailer was released. Unconfirmed reports said that Naveen was removed as the director following differences with producer Abhishek Nama. Some reports claimed that Naveen refused to come to the sets and continue shooting. There were also speculations that Naveen had filed a case against Abhishek.
Giving a clarification on the issue, he said, “While I have consistently maintained my composure by keeping calm, my silence seems to be misconstrued as a mistake by a few, I want to clarify that I have not committed any wrongdoing in the making of this film. The controversy we face today is a result of taking few careless decisions driven by pure ego and greed. Contrary to recent reports, I have not taken any legal action against any individual or the film.”
Naveen said that he was deeply disheartened by the action of denying him the credit for directing Devil. “I retain the invaluable experience, skill, and my confidence. I have always remained focused, composed, and persistent throughout my career and I am determined to come back even stronger.”
“Kalyanram sir kept his heart and soul working tirelessly for this film giving his 100%, I express my sincere gratitude to Kalyanram sir and everyone who supported me during this endeavor. I am confident that 'Devil' will be a blockbuster, I kindly urge everyone to see the film in theaters on December 29, 2023. I have signed a new film and working on a very exciting script, will announce the details soon,” he wrote.