Up until these past few years, the entirety of the Indian cinema industry has been referred to as “Bollywood,” a gross misunderstanding of the various industries that exist within the diverse country. However, this past decade has been the subject of a drastic change – audiences worldwide are more immersed in genres from South Indian languages. Titles such as RRR, Pushpa: The Rise, Kalki 2898 AD, the Ponniyin Selvan series, and Drishyam 2 have generated over 429 million dollars for the industry.
The concept of “Pan-Indian” cinema has recently risen as more people internationally become aware of the diversity that lies within the country’s film industry. This shift is most commonly associated with S.S. Rajamouli’s hit film series Baahubali and its well-known success at the worldwide box office. According to Rohan Sippy, an Indian film director and producer and son of famous director Ramesh Sippy, Rajamouli’s creativity and the timelessness of the storyline ensured the film’s success. “Projects like Baahubali are driven by the madness, passion, and insomnia of phenomenal storytellers….” That same passion allows the movie to cater to all demographics, “[entertaining] a 5-year-old as well as a 75-year-old.”
Apart from the wide range of intangible characteristics that have set these films apart, the success and rise of the Indian cinema industry are mainly due to the prominent actors in the industry. South Indian performers Prabhas, Allu Arjun, Dulquer Salmaan, and Yash have become household names across India. “Their success […] has also paved the way for greater collaboration and integration between the two industries,” according to an article by the company Niche Film Farm.
In recent years, it’s been particularly inspiring to see the rise of South Indian films throughout the Indian subcontinent and internationally. For instance, Rajamouli’s RRR garnered much success globally, with cheers ringing in theaters from America to Japan. Its flourish was partly thanks to the pre-release event hosted by Karan Johar, an Indian TV show host from North India. This support from a unified nation helped put RRR at the top of the global charts.
The rise of Pan-Indian films is a marvel that deserves all our respect – generations of directors, producers, and actors from South Indian cinema have fought long and hard to earn a spot on the national scene. To learn more about the rise of the Pan-Indian industry and Rajamouli’s success in particular, be sure to watch the new Netflix documentary Modern Masters – S.S Rajamouli and truly grasp the passion with which this director has changed Indian cinema.
Works Cited
Niche Film Farm. “The Rise of South Indian Films in Bollywood – Niche Film Farm – Medium.” Medium, Medium, 20 Apr. 2024, medium.com/@aniiketorganicmonk/the-rise-of-south-indian-films-in-bollywood-c9b694118551. Accessed 23 July 2024.
Nirmal Pillai. “South Indians according to Bollywood | Parotta Act.” YouTube, 15 Aug. 2022, youtu.be/IWMRcj2u5uk?si=jYPCwPEvNNCplJff. Accessed 25 July 2024.
Sippy, Rohan. “Baahubali Is Successful Because It Entertains a Five-Year-Old as Well as a 75-Year-Old.” India Today, 22 Apr. 2017, www.indiatoday.in/movies/baahubali-2-full-coverage/story/baahubali-2-success-reason-rohan-sippy-column-972954-2017-04-22. Accessed 23 July 2024.