South Indian actor Vijay Deverakonda is facing legal trouble after a complaint was filed against him under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The complaint, lodged by Nenavath Ashok Kumar Naik, the State President of the Joint Action Committee of Tribal Communities, alleges that Deverakonda made derogatory comments against the tribal community during a pre-release event for his upcoming movie 'Retro.'

According to the complaint, the actor's comments, made on April 26, 2025, at the film event, were deeply offensive and insulted the tribal community's self-respect and dignity. Naik stated that Deverakonda allegedly compared the recent terror attack in Pahalgam to tribal wars from 500 years ago. This comparison is what purportedly triggered the complaint, with Naik and other members of the tribal community finding the analogy racially insensitive and hurtful to their sentiments. The complaint was officially filed on June 17, 2025, leading to the registration of a case under the SC/ST Act at the Raidurgam police station in Cyberabad. Police have confirmed that an investigation into the matter is currently underway.

The First Information Report (FIR) states that the complaint was received on June 17, 2025, at 10:30 hours from Nenavath Ashok Kumar Naik, also known as Ashok Rathod, who identifies as belonging to the ST (Rathod) caste. The FIR quotes Naik's statement that Vijay Deverakonda, while participating in the pre-release event of the movie 'Retro,' made comments that hurt the sentiments of the tribals and seriously insulted them.

Following the backlash, Deverakonda issued a statement expressing regret if his words were misunderstood or caused any hurt. He affirmed his commitment to using his platform to promote peace, progress, and unity, emphasizing that his intention was never to divide. "If any part of my message was misunderstood or hurtful, I express my sincere regret. My only aim was to speak of peace, progress and togetherness. I remain committed to using my platform to uplift unify-never divide,” Deverakonda stated.

Despite the apology, the legal proceedings continue, and the investigation will determine the course of the case. The SC/ST Act is a stringent law enacted to prevent discrimination and atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in India. The Act prescribes strict penalties for offenses, including imprisonment and fines, and is intended to protect the rights and dignity of marginalized communities.

Meanwhile, on the professional front, Vijay Deverakonda is gearing up for the release of his upcoming film 'Kingdom,' directed by Gowtam Tinnanuri. The film, which stars Bhagyashri Borse as the female lead, is now scheduled to hit theaters on July 4, 2025. 'Kingdom' is produced by Sithara Entertainments in association with Fortune Four Cinemas, with music composed by Anirudh Ravichander and editing handled by Navin Nooli. The film was originally slated for release on May 30, 2025, but has been pushed back.