Tollywood star Dev has taken legal action against several YouTubers following the release of his latest film, ‘Deshu7’, during the Puja holidays. The actor, widely known for his performance in ‘Paglu’, initiated these measures after alleging that content creators, specifically those identified as Prince and Rupam, were orchestrating malicious and deliberate negative reviews to harm the movie’s reputation.
The issue gained prominence following a special screening of the film on Tuesday, October 27, which was attended by various industry personalities, including director Raj Chakraborty. Addressing the situation during a media interaction after the event, Dev clarified that his decision to send legal notices stemmed from a desire to protect his creative work, which he considers akin to a child. He emphasized that he holds no personal animosity but maintains the right to defend his project.
Dev pointed to the complex ecosystem of modern internet influence, explaining that negativity is often fueled by unrelated disputes. For instance, he noted that some influencers attack the film simply because they have personal grievances with collaborators who worked on the music, or because he declined an invitation to appear on a specific podcast. He expressed concern that such targeted negativity harms the broader Bengali film industry’s revenue, which could lead to fewer films being produced and ultimately impact the livelihood of the very content creators relying on these movies for their own growth.
Challenging the ethics of these reviewers, the actor-turned-director remarked on the disparity between their motives and his own. He stated, ‘I understand that negative content generates more views. My question is, if you can create negativity for your views, why can’t I protect my film? Your livelihood depends on views, while my livelihood depends on ticket sales.’ ‘Deshu7’ marks Dev’s debut as a full-length director and reunites him with actress Subhashree Ganguly on the big screen after a 14-year hiatus. The film is produced under the banner of Dev Entertainment Ventures.
