Filmmaker Hansal Mehta has slammed Telugu producer Naga Vamsi, who recently produced Lucky Baskhar starring Dulquer Salmaan. Vamsi made headlines for his comments at a producers’ roundtable.
The discussion also included Boney Kapoor & saw Vamsi make a bold statement about the success of Pushpa 2: The Rule, claiming that “the whole of Mumbai didn’t sleep” after the film earned over Rs 80 crore in one day.
However, it wasn’t just his comment about Pushpa 2 that caught attention. Hansal Mehta took to X (formerly Twitter) to call out Vamsi for being “arrogant”. Mehta didn’t hold back and accused Vamsi’s Lucky Bhaskar of copying ideas from his hit series Scam.
Hansal Mehta Schools Arrogant Naga Vamsi
Mehta wrote in a tweet, “Since this person Mr Naga Vamsi was being so arrogant and now that I know who he is: His latest hit as a producer Lucky Baskhar has borrowed liberally from the Scam series. Reason I brought this up is that I feel happy that stories travel and a film in another language succeeds in replicating what has worked for us.”
He further stressed that the film industry should focus on mutual respect. “Everybody wins. Nobody is bigger than the other. That narrative is destructive. Arrogance is even worse,” he wrote.
Since this person Mr Naga Vamsi was being so arrogant and now that I know who he is : His latest hit as a producer Lucky Bhaskar has borrowed liberally from the Scam series. Reason I brought this up is that I feel happy that stories travel and a film in another language suceeds… https://t.co/R4oC0kNHKc
— Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) December 31, 2024
Vamsi’s remarks about Pushpa 2 also irritated filmmaker Boney Kapoor, who clarified that the Rs 80 crore figure Vamsi mentioned was specific to the Hindi belt. Mehta responded with a cheeky remark, saying, “Chill dude, whoever you are… I live in Mumbai. Been sleeping really well.”
Chill dude whoever you are… I live in Mumbai. Been sleeping really well. https://t.co/R4oC0kNHKc
— Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) December 31, 2024
Hansal Mehta Also Questions Film Critic Rangan Baradwaj’s Conduct
Mehta also questioned the behaviour of respected film critic Rangan Baradwaj, who was part of the roundtable. Mehta expressed disappointment over Baradwaj’s reaction to Vamsi’s conduct. He wrote, “Also sad to see a person as respected as @baradwajrangan almost gloating while the guy behaves atrociously with Boney sir.”
Also sad to see a person as respected as @baradwajrangan almost gloating while the guy behaves atrociously with Boney sir. https://t.co/5C4HMZ80wL
— Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) December 31, 2024
Mehta’s comments have sparked online debates, with many siding with him against arrogance in the industry. However, the situation also raises questions about the fine line between inspiration and imitation, especially in such a competitive film environment.
About Lucky Baskhar, Scam Series & Pushpa 2
The film at the centre of all this, Lucky Baskhar, tells the story of Dulquer Salmaan’s character, a banker whose life changes after he comes into a large sum of money. The film references Harshad Mehta and his infamous stock market scam at the start, drawing parallels to Mehta’s rise and fall in the financial world. Directed by Venky Atluri, Lucky Baskhar hit theatres on October 31 and has already piqued the interest of many viewers.
Hansal Mehta’s Scam 1992 became an instant hit when it was released in 2020. The series, based on the book The Scam: Who Won, Who Lost, Who Got Away by Debashis Basu and Sucheta Dalal, focused on the Harshad Mehta stock market scam. The sequel, Scam 2003: The Telgi Story, which came out in 2023, tackled the story of Abdul Karim Telgi’s counterfeiting operation.
Meanwhile, Pushpa 2 continues to break records, having earned over Rs 1,500 crore globally. Directed by Sukumar, the film stars Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna, and Fahadh Faasil.
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