Vijay Deverakonda takes a dig at Hollywood's global reach: 'Brad Pitt gets paid 100 times more than me'

Vijay Deverakonda is currently busy shooting for his upcoming Telugu film 'Kingdom', and the actor’s transformation for the role has become one of the most talked-about aspects among fans online. Recently, the actor spoke about films and their global reach, where he took a dig at the worldwide success of Hollywood films due to language advantage, while regional films continue to struggle for visibility.

Vijay about his fans
At the Waves Summit 2025, Vijay joined Karan Johar and Kareena Kapoor Khan for a discussion on cinema, global reach, and cultural dynamics. During the conversation, Karan raised a question about global fan engagement. When asked if he had met international admirers of his work, Vijay candidly admitted that such encounters are rare, owing to his reserved personality and minimal social interactions. He shared that he often walks with his head down to avoid attracting attention.
Vijay further shed light on the changing landscape of Indian cinema, expressing optimism about its growth while also highlighting disparities stemming from language barriers and lack of global exposure.
Hollywood's global reach
He referred to English as a dominant global language, stating that its dominance has enabled it to become a tool of soft power for Western cinema, thereby creating imbalances in both visibility and remuneration. The Arjun Reddy actor pointed out the stark pay gap between Indian and Hollywood actors.
“The biggest directors have the biggest budgets. I do a film, Brad Pitt does a film — he’ll get paid 100 times more than me, just because more people are watching films in his language,” he remarked, critiquing the global preference for English-language cinema. He also added that it is due to a history of colonisation, rather than marketing strategies, that English is now widely known and used as a medium of communication.

Vijay also praised Karan Johar, acknowledging the filmmaker's enduring popularity for his classic film 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham', which beautifully blended music, emotion, culture, and a talented cast.
upcoming movies
On the work front, Vijay was last seen in The Family Star, which did not perform well at the box office. He later made a cameo appearance in Nag Ashwin’s mega-hit 'Kalki 2898 AD'. He will next be seen in Gowtam Tinnanuri’s 'Kingdom.'