- By Srishti Pandey
- Wed, 01 Jan 2025 12:02 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Hansal Mehta recently took to social media to criticize producer Naga Vamsi for his remarks during a producers' roundtable hosted by Galatta Plus. The event, which featured prominent names like Boney Kapoor, sparked controversy after Vamsi claimed that “Mumbai didn’t sleep” following the massive box office success of Pushpa 2: The Rule.
Hansal shared a clip of Vamsi’s statement on X (formerly Twitter) and called the producer “arrogant.” The filmmaker also accused Vamsi’s film Lucky Bhaskar of borrowing heavily from his acclaimed Scam series, which includes Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story and Scam 2003: The Telgi Story.
In his post, Hansal 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 succeeds in replicating what has worked for us.”
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Image: Hansal Mehta's tweet on X (Source: X)
Hansal emphasized that success in the film industry should not be overshadowed by arrogance. “Everybody wins. Nobody is bigger than the other. That narrative is destructive. Arrogance is even worse,” he added.
During the roundtable, Vamsi highlighted the success of Pushpa 2: The Rule, starring Allu Arjun, claiming that the film’s Hindi belt earnings of over ₹80 crore in a single day kept “the whole of Mumbai” awake. Boney Kapoor supported Vamsi’s statement, confirming that the figures referred specifically to the Hindi market.
Hansal had earlier dismissed the remark with a sarcastic post, saying, “Chill dude whoever you are… I live in Mumbai. Been sleeping really well.” Hansal Mehta directed Scam 1992 in 2020, which detailed the infamous stock market scam led by Harshad Mehta. The series, starring Pratik Gandhi, became a massive success for its gripping storytelling.
In 2023, Scam 2003: The Telgi Story followed, focusing on Abdul Karim Telgi’s counterfeit stamp paper scam. Directed by Tushar Hiranandani with Hansal as co-director, the series starred Gagan Dev Riar in the lead role.
Pushpa 2: The Rule, directed by Sukumar, has been a global blockbuster, earning over Rs 1,500 crore worldwide. The film stars Allu Arjun as Pushpa Raj, Rashmika Mandanna as Srivalli and Fahadh Faasil as Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat. Produced by Mythri Movie Makers and Muttamsetty Media, the movie continues to dominate the box office.