With the lines between Bollywood and South movie industry blurring, several south-Indian actors’ comment on Hindi film industry have hit headlines.
7 Times South Movie Actors Spoke About Bollywood:
Also Read: 6 South Actors Who Rejected Bollywood Movies!
1. Mahesh Babu
Recently, Mahesh Babu‘s comment on Bollywood – “Bollywood can’t afford me” – went viral. During the trailer launch of ‘Major’, the actor was if he had plans of acting in the Hindi film industry. To which, he replied –
“I may come across as arrogant, but I have received numerous offers in Hindi. However, I believe they cannot afford me. I don’t want to squander any of my time or others. I never considered leaving Telugu cinema or going to other places, because of the fame and love I have here.”
Also Read: Has Mahesh Babu Rejected RAM’S Role?
2. Shruti Haasan
‘Gabbar Is Back’ actor Shruti Haasan – daughter of Kamal Haasan – had once commented on the ‘outsider vs insider in Bollywood’ during her #AskMeAnything session on Twitter. She said –
“I honestly have many times felt like an outsider, especially in Bollywood, there is a whole North-South thing that constantly happens. For example, if I’m doing three Telugu films and three Tamil films, they’ll say, ‘Oh, but you’re not focusing on Hindi,’ as if that is the only industry in the country. And it isn’t. So, I have always felt like an outsider.”
Also Read: WHO Is Shruti Haasan Dating? Rumoured BF REACTS To Claims!
3. Allu Arjun
Stylish star Allu Arjun received rave reviews for his performance in Pusha: The Rise – Part 1. When he was asked about his Bollywood debut, the actor replied –
“I have got an offer but nothing concrete or exciting. It does take courage, you have to risk it (to work in another industry). When we are the protagonist of the films that we do, anybody who comes to us will only come with the offer to play a protagonist, I would not be interested in anything (else). And it is very well understood. Even the other person will not come and it doesn’t make sense to ask such a big star to play a second role as it damages the film, they also know it. You have to work as a protagonist, as a main lead.”
Also Read: NOT Allu Arjun; THIS Actor Was Reportedly The FIRST CHOICE For ‘Pushpa: The Rise’ Movie!
4. Ram Charan
After the teRRRific success of RRR, Ram Charan reacted to Salman Khan’s question “why Hindi films don’t work down South”. During an interview, Ram said –
“I want a director from Hindi cinema to make a pan-India film which caters to even the South. Salman (Khan) said, I really love Ram, Rajamouli and Tarak’s work but why are our films not being appreciated in the South. It is so candid and honest of him to say that but I believe it is not Salman ji’s fault or some film’s fault, it is the writing; it is the director who has to transcend these boundaries of ‘hamara movie idhar hi dekhenge, hamara movie udhar hi dekhenge’. Every writer should write movies like Vijayendra Prasad (RRR) or Rajamouli and say ‘believe in it’. And of course I want to make an Indian film where I want to work with talent from here (Bollywood), I want directors to explore the talent from South and make bigger films so that we have bigger budgets and we see bigger numbers at the end of the day.”
Also Read: Ram Charan Gifts Gold COINS Worth ‘XX’ LAKHS To RRR Movie Technicians!
5. Yash
Reacting to Salman Khan‘s remarks that he wonders why Hindi films aren’t working down South but films from South cinema are working in the Hindi belt, KGF fame Yash stated –
“It’s not like that. Our films also never used to get this kind of reception, but what is happening from that part of the world, they have started playing dubbed versions here, and people became familiar with the content of what we are creating. What worked today is people got familiar with our way of storytelling, our cinema, so it has not happened overnight. That has been there for a few years and eventually, they started understanding the content, the expression of the direction, and everything.”
Also Read: KGF Chapter 2 Actor Yash Gowda Net Worth 2022, Annual Income & Car Collection!
6. Priyamani
‘The Family Man’ fame Priyamani had once spoke about the portrayal of South Indians in Bollywood films. Talking about it, she said –
“There was a time when earlier we had people like Sridevi, Rekha, Hema Malini, and Vyjayanthimala, who ruled Bollywood. And then there was a dearth you know. We have only Hindi-speaking actors in Bollywood and they used to sort of portray South Indians (could be somebody from Chennai or Kerala) – they used to portray them as people who used to not speak Hindi in the normal way – ‘Aiyo, kaisa ji, kya bolta ji’. After a point, they stopped that and started getting South technicians to Bollywood.”
“And, we saw a surge of a lot of South Indian technicians coming to Bollywood and making their mark successfully. And right now, I’m very happy that finally South talent is also getting recognised here in Bollywood and South stars are also getting their due,” she added.
Also Read: When Shah Rukh Khan Gave Priyamani Rs 300 During Chennai Express
7. Dhanush
During an old interview, Dhanush had once revealed how he was against the division between south and north Indian films.
“I was always against (the divide between) south and north Indian films. It is an Indian film and that is how it should always be. We are heading towards that (change) at a very rapid pace. It is very healthy. It is helping all of us with our films, actors, and creative people globally.”