The makers of Vanara, who had registered the title long ago and began promotions under the same name, were recently asked to change it by the censor board while applying for certification. Following the objection, the team renamed the film Vanaveera.
Speaking at a media interaction, lead actor and director Avinash Thiruveedhula expressed disappointment over the timing of the objection. “We registered our title strictly as per rules and officially announced it last year. When a small film like ours is asked to change its title just days before release, it becomes extremely difficult for the producers,” he said.
Drawing a comparison, Avinash pointed out that big films have managed similar title changes with ease. “Earlier, a film like Valmiki was renamed Gaddalakonda Ganesh and reached audiences smoothly because big names backed it. Our film is just five days away from release. We have already spent heavily on publicity and conducted promotional tours across Hyderabad and Andhra Pradesh,” he added.
Actor Kiran Abbavaram released the film’s trailer, while producer Rajesh Danda attended the event as chief guest, extending support to the team. Thanking Abbavaram, Avinash said, “When I informed Kiran Abbavaram anna about the title change and requested him to release the trailer, he immediately agreed. I am very grateful to him for standing by our film.”
During his interaction, Avinash indirectly criticised actor Nandu, who played a significant role in Vanaveera but stayed away from promotions. Without naming him, Avinash said, “Some actors took lakhs of rupees as remuneration and didn’t even post about the film on social media. They played side roles in other films and were promoted there, but when it comes to this film—where they played one of the leads—they didn’t turn up for promotions because we are small actors. This is not fair.”
He further added that the actor is actively promoting his own film but has shown no responsibility towards Vanaveera. “When someone acts in a film, they should at least have basic responsibility towards its promotions,” Avinash said.
Explaining the title objection, Avinash said the word Vanara instantly reminds people of Lord Hanuman, and since the film touches upon sensitive themes like caste and politics, the censor board felt the title was inappropriate. “We respect their decision, but such objections should have been raised earlier. We have complete confidence in our content, and Vanaveera will not disappoint the audience,” he said.
Producer Shanthanu Pathi confirmed that the title was changed following the censor board’s directive. He thanked Kiran Abbavaram for releasing the trailer and Rajesh Danda for attending the event. He also appreciated lead actress Simran for her strong support throughout the film’s journey.
Vanaveera is slated for release on January 1.