Rajinikanth, a hero who has earned fans beyond linguistic barriers, enjoys a national following. Known for his style and dialogue delivery, Rajinikanth still drives fans wild. Naturally, the upcoming movie ‘Vettaiyan’ is creating significant buzz nationwide and is set to release grandly as a Dussehra gift on October 10. However, the movie’s title has sparked severe outrage among the Telugu audience, leading to the trending hashtag #BoycottVettaiyanInTelugu on X.
‘Are Telugu Viewers Considered Inferior?’
The film ‘Vettaiyan,’ directed by T.J. Gnanavel with Rajinikanth as an encounter specialist, is titled in Tamil and was directly used in Telugu as well. This move has upset the Telugu audience, who question why the title wasn’t adapted to Telugu as ‘Vetagadu,’ despite the availability of an appropriate Telugu term. They feel slighted, asking if only Tamil deserves such respect and not Telugu. Netizens are actively calling to boycott ‘Vettaiyan,’ indicating a strong discontent with ignoring Telugu language preferences.
It’s the same with those movies!
Telugu audiences are known for supporting movies regardless of the language if the story is good. There are many instances where Tamil films that flopped in Tamil Nadu became super hits in Telugu. Previously, dubbing movies used to be given Telugu titles, and signs in other languages were nicely translated into Telugu. Now, they have stopped doing that and are releasing movies directly. Titles like ‘Kanguva‘, ‘Vettaiyan‘, ‘Thangalaan‘, ‘Raayan‘, ‘Valimai‘ are being brought to Telugu with the same Tamil names, and Telugu audiences are severely criticizing this practice. They comment that proper Telugu titles could easily be given. It’s clear that Telugu audiences will not support those who do not respect the Telugu language.
No need for Telugu language?
In the past, when Tamil movies were released in Telugu, directors like Mani Ratnam used to get Telugu dialogues and songs written to give the feel of watching a direct Telugu movie. We have seen well-titled films like ‘Gharshana‘, ‘Sakhi‘, ‘Yuva‘, and ‘Cheliya‘. However, this practice has changed now. There is a lack of attention to dubbing and songs, and the essence of Tamil prevails. Even with titles, the care is minimal. Cinema analysts are surprised that even a star like Rajinikanth did not object to the title ‘Vettaiyan’. Telugu audiences are complaining vehemently, wanting the revenue but not the language.
