In a surprising turn of events at a recent pre-release event for the film Hi Nanna in Visakhapatnam, fans found themselves caught in a storm of controversy as anchor Suma took an unexpected plunge into the personal lives of two leading stars, Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna. The event, meant to celebrate the upcoming film, became a talking point for all the wrong reasons.

Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna’s vacation pictures

Unveiling vacation pictures raises eyebrows.

The audience, anticipating insights into the film and the lives of their favourite actors, was taken aback when throwback vacation pictures of Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna suddenly appeared on-screen. Anchor Suma, known for her engaging hosting style, pretended to question the organisers about the unexpected display. Mrunal Thakur, a fellow actor, looked visibly surprised, while Nani maintained a smile throughout the episode.

Adding fuel to the fire, Suma, in a playful manner, engaged with a photographer present at the event, teasingly inquiring if he was the one responsible for capturing the controversial Bali pictures. She went on to question the photographer’s understanding of privacy when capturing such intimate moments.

Fans express outrage on social media.

As news of this incident spread like wildfire on social media, fans of Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna were quick to express their displeasure. Many deemed the act a “cheap promotional stunt” by the Hi Nanna team, accusing them of using the personal lives of the stars to garner attention for the film. One user on X stated, “What a promotional stunt by Team #HiNanna defaming other actors. Shameless @VyraEnts. And these actors should have some common sense; they are just laughing. And Suma is one of the worst anchors.”

Another user emphasised the ethical dilemma of bringing up someone’s personal life for the sake of box office collections. They wrote, “Cheap promotional stunts from the HiNanna Team. Fans emo hero ni personal ga tag chesi abuse cheyadam. Hero emo Ma Vijay Devakonda and Rashmika Mandanna personal lives ni events lo use cheyadam. Endhuku ra babu e cheap stunts collections ravali ante ma hero personal life lagadam. Nani’s fans tag Vijay Deverakonda and abuse him every day while he uses his personal life to promote his films. Why pull off such cheap stunts just to make money?”

Awaiting celebrity reactions

Despite the uproar on social media, key players involved, including Nani, Mrunal Thakur, Vijay Deverakonda, and Rashmika Mandanna, have remained silent on the controversy. It remains unknown whether the organisers or the film’s team sought permission from the actors before showcasing their personal moments at the event.

As the incident continues to circulate online, fans are eagerly awaiting the response from the celebrities involved, questioning the appropriateness of using personal lives as a promotional tool and urging a more thoughtful approach to such events in the future.