The Rise of South Indian Cinema

 

Source: Hyderabad News 

Comparisons between the South Indian film industry and Bollywood have become commonplace since Bahubali captured the public's attention in the Hindi heartland. The hot topic is whether the former is currently bigger and more successful than the latter. There is enough evidence from the post-Bahubali era to predict that South Indian films will continue to represent a larger share of Indian cinema as a whole.

Only the Hindi-dubbed versions of South Indian movies like Allu Arjun's Pushpa: The Rise (Rs 108.26 crore), Ram Charan, and N.T. Rama Rao Jr.'s RRR (Rs 274.31 crore), and Yash's K.G.F: Chapter 2 (Rs 434.45 crore) have performed so well in the post-pandemic environment that they have vaulted to the top division.

While the success of South Indian films has overshadowed Hindi films like Sooryavanshi.

Trade circles are aware that the Hindi heartland's single-screen audience has been enjoying South Indian films for some time because they find them relatable and appealing. Hindi-dubbed South Indian movies have also performed exceptionally well on television, and now that OTT platforms are driving interest in them, their audience base is only expanding.

Additionally, the multiplex audience in metropolitan areas has only increased the overall numbers for South Indian films with the entrance of glitzy extravaganza movies like SS Rajamouli's Bahubali. Language is no longer a barrier thanks to subtitles and effective dubbing, and the South Indian film industry is thriving.

The hugely successful Bollywood potboilers from the 1970s and 1980s, such as Ramesh Sippy's Sholay, Prakash Mehra's Zanjeer, Manmohan Desai's Amar Akbar Anthony, or Subhash Ghai's Hero, are suggestive of some of the South Bloc's recent large successes, such as KGF 2 and RRR. However, that does not mean that the newest South Indian movies are relegated to the past.

The major action franchise KGF Chapter 1 & 2, directed by Prashanth Neel, centers on Rocky, a Robin Hood-like hero who shakes up the gangs in charge of the Kolar Gold Fields. Bahubali set the standard for a huge, epic fantasy with outstanding VFX that had never before been used in an Indian film. And RRR has given Desh bhakti a magical makeover a bit Bahubali, fully reimagining it.

The hole left by Hindi films' departure from the traditional desi entertainment formula, which took into account everyone—from the rickshaw puller in the stall to the affluent guy in the balcony seats—has been filled by these South Indian blockbusters.

Overall, South Bloc films check all the right boxes for moviegoers with their heightened drama, fantasy-style action, and grandiose presentation.

The films from the South continue to provide something for everyone—a desi environment, slick action, a fierce hero, a conniving villain, romance, scale, and splendor—much like the traditional thali in Indian restaurants. The conversations are also more approachable since they lack the western twang and have a more earthy flavor.

Additionally, South Indian movie stars have been better able to portray authentic characters in their movies, which are set in more rural Bharat than India, than their Bollywood rivals. South Bloc actors like Allu Arjun, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Vijay Deverakonda, Sudeep, Rashmika Mandanna, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Prabhas, Yash, Ram Charan, and Junior NTR are now well-known throughout India after making an impression on a national audience.

On the commercial front, both Indian studios and the big streaming platforms are making significant investments in South Indian films. Leading Bollywood production companies Excel Entertainment and Dharma Productions are working with filmmakers from the South to produce new multilingual films. 

As a result, the South Bloc film industry has expanded outside of its traditional markets. In contrast to past times, when it was the other way around—popular South Indian performers coming to the Hindi film business to attain greater fame—we now witness a growing number of Bollywood stars performing in Telugu and Tamil films. However, South Indian film stars now realize that they are on par with Bollywood stars in terms of fame thanks to South Indian cinema.

All things considered, things have advanced to the point where, if the Hindi film business doesn't tighten its belt and get its act together, things are unquestionably going to head south.

Anshika Bansal