Anand Deverakonda and Vaishnavi Chaitanya in Epic: First Semester, directed by Aditya HasanDirector Aditya Hasan has revealed that actress Vaishnavi Chaitanya had serious reservations about the “bold scenes” in their upcoming film Epic: First Semester before she agreed to sign on, and that he personally promised to stand by her and take responsibility if any backlash followed.Speaking at the pre-release event on Tuesday, the director recounted, “I made a promise, and I will stand by Vaishnavi,” Hasan said. “She was concerned about doing bold scenes in the film. So I assured her that I would stand by her. If there is ever an issue, it has to come through me first.”The comment is significant given what Vaishnavi went through after her previous collaboration with Anand Deverakonda.ALSO READ | Yash’s friend reveals actor’s reaction to Toxic box office crash: ‘There’s pain in his voice’What was the Baby backlash about?Vaishnavi Chaitanya rose to prominence with the 2023 film Baby. A coming-of-age romantic drama directed by Sai Rajesh Neelam, co-starring Anand Deverakonda and Viraj Ashwin. The film was a commercial success, and made both Anand and Vaishnavi bankable names in Telugu cinema overnight.But for Vaishnavi, the success came with a cost. While the box office numbers brought her fame, a section of the audience and social media users trolled her for the way her character in the film. The criticism was directed at intimate scenes in the film, and the trolling affected her deeply.Baby’s director Sai Rajesh addressed the backlash in a post-release interview with The Hindu, admitting the audience’s response had shaken him. “Baby has been a learning experience. Henceforth, I will be more cautious in my writing. When I watched the film at Prasad’s, I was shocked to see people whistling and screaming for Anand’s abuses. I just couldn’t digest it. If a film is appreciated by the audience, any filmmaker would be elated, but I felt sad,” he said. He said that he expected the audience to appreciate Vaishnavi’s character when she later stood up for herself and confronted the hurt caused by the male character’s actions. However, after the release, he realised that his story may not have been conveyed what he intended.Story continues below this adALSO READ: Anand Deverakonda dances with Vijay Deverakonda, Rashmika Mandanna to Epic’s first single ‘Sancharame’The trailer, released on September 4 by Sithara Entertainments, runs through the full arc of what appears to be an love story set in London. Here, Anand Deverakonda meets Vaishnavi, and what begins as a light, fun college romance gradually turns into something more complicated. What makes the trailer relevant to Aditya Hasan’s comments about standing by Vaishnavi is that there are many intimate scenes between the two characters.About EpicThe film is directed by Aditya Hasan who previously directed the hit web series 90s. During the same event, Hasan confirmed that Epic is connected to his 90s web series, making it part of a continuing story. He has also revealed plans for a sequel titled Epic: Final Semester, promising a unique ending to the first part.The film is produced by Suryadevara Naga Vamsi and Sai Soujanya under Sithara Entertainments and Fortune Four Cinemas, presented by Srikara Studios. The music is composed by Hesham Abdul Wahab, cinematography by Azeem Mohammad and editing by Navin Nooli. The film is set to release in theatres on September 10.Click here to follow Screen Digital on YouTube and stay updated with the latest from the world of cinema.Tags:baby