Vijay Deverakonda turns 32: 5 Must Watch films of the ‘Liger’ Star

Be it his films, style statements or off-screen antics, Telugu actor Vijay Deverakonda has carved a niche for himself in recent years. The handsome hunk who roused to stardom with path-breaking films like Pelli Choopulu, Arjun Reddy and Geetha Govindam enjoys a massive fan base in the Telugu states, particularly among young people. Gearing up to enthral the pan-Indian audience with his upcoming film ‘Liger’, Vijay worked his way to the top with sheer talent, determination and hard work. One of the few south stars with no godfather behind his back, Deverakonda is turning 32 on Sunday. On the special occasion, check out his must-watch films.

Till the 2000s, the Telugu film industry has been obsessed with the format of six songs and five fights blended with commercial ingredients that will appeal to the urban, semi-urban and rural pockets. It’s very rare that a film will deviate from these norms and urges viewers to do the same. Yevade Subramanyam is one among those. Helmed by debutante director Nag Ashwin in 2015, the coming-of-age travel film showcases the circumstances when a corporate guy sets out on a risky journey to the mountains to fulfil his friend’s wish. Vijay delivered an impeccable performance as Rishi, an energetic and free-spirited personality.

Directed by debutante Tharun Bhascker, Pelli Choopulu introduced Vijay Deverakonda as the protagonist and Ritu Varma as the leading lady. Partly based on a real-life incident of ‘Spitfire BBQ’ food truck, the romantic comedy revolves around a boy and girl who meet during a confused match-making session. How their aspiration joins them together forms the rest of the story? With two national awards in its kitty, the film came as a breath of fresh air in Telugu cinema and garnered a cult following over the years.

Cult classic ‘Arjun Reddy’ catapulted the careers of Vijay Deverakonda and Shalini Panday into stardom. Written and directed by debutante Sandeep Reddy Vanga, the dark romantic-drama released to a stupendous response in 2017 from both critics and commoners. While Vijay stole the show with his no-holds-barred performance in the titular role, debutante Shalini delivered an impressive act in the author-backed role of Preeti Shetty and impressed right from the word go with her natural emotions, fresh looks and convincing acting chops. Their steamy lip-locks created a storm in the theaters.

Released in 2018 as a small budget film, Geetha Govindam registered an astounding victory at the box office. Starring Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna in lead roles, the romantic comedy struck the right chord with the viewers’ owing to the crackling chemistry between the lead pair, engaging narration, hilarious moments and the marvellous songs composed by Gopi Sunder.

Despite falling prey to piracy before release, Vijay Deverakonda’s supernatural thriller Taxiwaala released to a rousing response in both the Telugu states and surprised the trade pundits by accumulating a worldwide gross of over Rs 25 crore. The Rahul Sankrityan directorial featured Priyanka Jawalkar as the leading lady.