Vijay-Rashmika's KWK promo sparks backlash over 'humiliating' proposal story

Actor Vijay Deverakonda has faced backlash online after his response to Rashmika Mandanna’s story about proposing to him sparked criticism. In the promo for Koffee With Karan 9, Rashmika revealed that she asked Vijay to marry her for an entire year. While the actor’s response was meant as banter, some viewers accused him of humiliating his wife by sharing the anecdote publicly.The promo begins with host Karan Johar introducing the couple as a “blockbuster couple” before asking Vijay if there was a proposal.Rashmika then recalls telling Vijay, "Let’s get married." To which, Vijay responded, "Okay, you ask me a hundred times." When Karan asks whether she really asked him a hundred times, Rashmika confirms, "I asked him for an entire year."Asked to share his side of the story, Vijay responds, "I am not an a**hole," adding to their account of how their marriage conversations unfolded. However, the exchange has not gone down well with many on the internet, who have criticised Vijay's response and suggested that it made Rashmika appear more invested in the relationship.Internet is miffed with Vijay DeverakondaOne X user wrote, “She asked him 100 times to marry her? Even if it is true, why is he revealing it publicly? He’s kind of humiliating her. I don’t understand his attitude. She’s more successful than him.” Another user criticised the way Vijay appeared to portray their relationship, writing, “I really get the ick when he makes it seem like he did her a favour by marrying her while she’s so enamoured by him. But the biggest ick was before the wedding itself when he signed off on invitations with his name and put her name in small font in brackets.”A third person wrote, “My hate on VD didn't start in a day BTW, it's because of so many shitty things he say in a ‘composed’ tone and Rashmika cutie unfortunately fell for his narcissistic ass. I know it's hot to be with someone who's confident about themselves but soon you'll realize that.”Another social media user questioned whether an imbalance in affection could become a problem in a relationship, writing, “Loving him more than he loves you is intense..but what if he starts taking all that for granted?”Some viewers also compared the couple's exchange to other celebrity appearances on the chat show. One user wrote, “They saw ranbir and alia gross out vadaks (north) and thought we need to recreate that impact in the south.”Reacting to Vijay's response in the promo, another user posted, “'I am not an a**hole’ denial is a river in egypt mr vijay deverakonda."One person sharing the clip compared the couple to singer Selena Gomez and music producer Benny Blanco, calling them the “selena gomez and benny blanco of tollywood.”Another user suggested that the episode could spark controversy similar to Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh's appearance on the show. “Firstly, this Koffee with Karan episode could be another Deepika-Ranveer disaster waiting to happen. Newly married couples should avoid coming on this show. Deepika and Ranveer learned that the hard way,” the user wrote.The same person added that Vijay's response made it seem as though he had agreed to marry Rashmika as a favour, speculating that his decision might have been different had his film Liger been a box-office success.Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna's relationshipVijay and Rashmika married on February 26 in an intimate ceremony at ITC Mementos in Udaipur, attended by close friends and family. The actors grew close after meeting on the sets of Geetha Govindam in 2018.The couple were recently seen together in Ranabaali, which released in theatres on October 16.The upcoming Koffee With Karan 9 episode offers a glimpse into their relationship, with the promo featuring conversations about marriage, their on-screen chemistry and married life.- Ends