Vijay Deverakonda on going nude for Liger poster: It was completely my call

Whether there is a hullabaloo or not, Vijay Deverakonda doesn't seem to care about the uproar that could result from his appearing virtually nude on a poster for his pan-Indian movie Liger. The crew, including producer Karan Johar, expressed misgivings, but the actor was adamant about moving forward with the image that features him naked and carrying nothing but a bunch of roses.

When asked if he is relieved that his poster didn't get him into trouble like Ranveer Singh did, Deverakonda told PTI that whether there is hullabaloo or not is irrelevant to him and he's not bothered either.

A great deal of controversy erupted last month over Singh's naked photo session for an overseas publication, and multiple complaints were made against the star. Although Deverakonda's poster was out sooner, it received less scrutiny. The Arjun Reddy actor claimed that several members of the production crew, including Karan Johar, were hesitant to distribute the poster because they thought it was sensitive.

The actor revealed that when the promotions first began, he thought he should debut this poster. As a result, when Deverakonda spoke to Karan and everyone else, they asked him if he was sure because it is sensitive and causes reactions in others. The movie is so excellent that one doesn't need to release it. However, he argued that if they don't put it out, he is putting it out. Therefore, one must act in their official role or he will publish it on his page. The actor shared that he didn't care; he was posting it since it was his photo. They responded to him by saying that let's do it if he wants to.

In the Puri Jagannadh-directed film Liger, Deverakonda plays an underdog Mumbai fighter who fights in an MMA championship. Deverakonda, who became an overnight sensation following the success of his 2017 Telugu film Arjun Reddy, came up with the concept for the poster.

The actor simply has some thoughts in his head, and if they thrill him, he acts on them. One can never give something too much thought. Therefore, it was all his decision; he simply did what he felt like.

Deverakonda claims that the practice of such photoshoots is not new because athletes from the West frequently pose semi-naked for magazines. He revealed that he is a huge fan of mixed martial arts and actively follows it, so he watches a lot of it. He is aware of how these guys conduct themselves in daily life as well as their behaviour and activities, and many of these sportsmen have participated in similar shoots. Because they are in such great form, many of these athletes have participated in magazine photo sessions, and he explained that they probably do things for fun only.

He added that he was physically in "right shape" and that he felt the moment was ripe to do something similar for Liger. He told his director and producer that he wanted to take a picture where he was just carrying a bouquet because the movie is about love. He was in fighting shape, and they were taking the usual shots for the movie's poster. However, this man is a warrior. Thus, it is a blend of an action story and a love story. It was shot and kept. It was shot about six or eight months ago.

Ananya Panday, Ramya Krishnan, and boxing legend Mike Tyson are also featured in the sports drama. Liger will be released in theatres on August 25 in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam under the production banners of Puri Connects, owned by Jagannadh and Charmme Kaur, and Dharma Productions, run by Karan Johar and Apoorva Mehta.