Ever since the promotional materials of the upcoming period drama film Devil were unveiled, the name of the film’s director Naveen Medaram has been conspicuously missing from the film’s credits. The producer of the film Abhishek Nama has instead been credited with a ‘Produced and directed by’ tag. As the film is inching closer to its December 29 release date, Naveen Medaram has broken his silence on the issue in a written statement, providing clarification on a few aspects of his involvement in the project, without totally delving into why he was ousted from the same. The statement was shared on his personal social media.
Listing out his contributions to the film, Naveen writes, “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, and choosing locations to design sets, every element of the film bears my personal touch, realising my artistic vision. I shot the entire film for 105 days in various locations like Karaikudi, Vizag and Hyderabad (except for a few days of patchwork), making Devil truly my own creation. To me it's just not a project; it is my baby and no matter whoever says what, it's a film by Naveen Medaram.”
Shedding some light on how his name was completely erased from the project, the director continues, “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 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.”
While acknowledging the injustice meted out against him, the director ends his statement on a note of optimism, writing, “Although I am deeply disheartened by the absence of my directing credit in my own film, 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.”
Naveen finally thanked everyone involved in Devil and urged the audience to check out his film on December 29, while providing an update for his new film. “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 endeavour. I am confident that Devil will be a blockbuster, I kindly urge everyone to see the film in theatres on December 29, 2023. I have signed a new film and am working on a very exciting script, and will announce the details soon. Thank you”, writes Naveen.
