The interesting part of the Epic trailer launch was not just Vijay Deverakonda’s absence and Rashmika Mandanna’s presence. It is the fact that Rashmika may currently be in a better position than Vijay to inspire Anand Deverakonda.
Vijay was naturally Anand’s biggest support when he entered the film industry. But things have changed now. Vijay himself is going through a rough phase after disasters like Kingdom and Family Star. At this point, it would look a little funny for Vijay to constantly set a box-office example for his younger brother when he is struggling to find a hit himself.
Rashmika, on the other hand, is in a completely different position. She is coming off multiple Rs. 500 crore-plus blockbusters, including Animal, Chhaava and the biggest hit Pushpa 2. Her popularity and box-office reach have grown massively across industries.
That makes Rashmika a potentially stronger source of inspiration for Anand right now. She can be an example of how an actor can build a career, expand into different industries and keep moving forward despite setbacks.
Her presence at the Epic event also worked perfectly. If Vijay and Rashmika had attended together, the event could have easily become a Vijay-Rashmika show. Their presence as a newly married couple would have dominated social media and taken attention away from Anand and his film. Rashmika alone gave the event a family connection without creating that distraction.
Anand is now trying to establish himself independently. Middle Class Melodies gave him recognition, Baby became a commercial success, while Gam Gam Ganesha flopped badly. Epic is his next big hope.
Vijay will always be an important part of Anand’s journey. But at this particular stage, Rashmika’s career graph may offer Anand a more inspiring example. Today, he can look at Rashmika’s journey for motivation to reach the next level.
