# Vijay Deverakonda stopped taking my calls, says Rahul Ramakrishna 2026-08-23T10:17:05+00:00 | Entertainment | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Actor Rahul Ramakrishna, known for playing Vijay Deverakonda's friend Shiva in the 2017 blockbuster Arjun Reddy, has said in a recent interview that Vijay stopped answering his calls because he repeatedly refused to take on similar best-friend roles. Rahul made the remark with a laugh, suggesting it was a light-hearted comment rather than an indication of any real rift between the two. In the interview with film critic Baradwaj Rangan, published on August 21 on Galatta Plus, Rahul was asked if he would accept another friend role from Vijay. He replied, "I have said no so many times that he stopped answering my calls." The duo's on-screen friendship in Arjun Reddy remains one of Telugu cinema's most celebrated bonds. Rahul also shared his views on Tollywood's trend of big-budget films following the success of Baahubali, RRR and Pushpa. He said a film's budget, whether Rs 75 lakh or Rs 7,500 crore, does not matter as long as it entertains the audience. He emphasised that storytelling, not spectacle, is what truly matters. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The remark highlights a common career dilemma for character actors in Telugu cinema: being typecast after a breakout supporting role. Rahul Ramakrishna, who has since played varied parts in films like Mahanati and Jathi Ratnalu, has chosen to break the pattern rather than cash in on familiarity. The exchange also underscores how actors navigate public relationships with stars, a joke about unanswered calls can become news because of the film's cult status. Arjun Reddy's 2017 release redefined the romantic-drama template, and its leads have charted very different paths since. The real test for Rahul will be whether his next film, yet unannounced, finds the same audience acceptance without riding on that earlier hit's coattails. ## Coverage - siasat.com Reports the interview quotes without sensationalising, frames the remark as humorous. This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Arjun Reddy, Rahul Ramakrishna, Telugu cinema, Tollywood, Vijay Deverakonda Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/vijay-deverakonda-stopped-taking-my-calls-says-rahul-ramakrishna/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/vijay-deverakonda-stopped-taking-my-calls-says-rahul-ramakrishna/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/