Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

‘They're telling stories, we're selling stars’: Anupam Kher on South vs Bollywood films debate

The veteran actor plays a pivotal role in the recently released Telugu film Karthikeya 2.

‘They're telling stories, we're selling stars’: Anupam Kher on South vs Bollywood films debate

It is no secret that Bollywood films are failing left, right, and center at the box office. A number of high-profile Hindi films, featuring some of the biggest actors of the industry, have tanked without a trace. But at the same time, South Indian films are not only performing well in their home states but also in Hindi-speaking states.

Over the past few months, several South Indian films have done exceptionally well in Bollywood, including Pushpa: The Rise, RRR, and KGF: Chapter 2. The most recent South Indian film that has set the cash registers jingling in the Hindi-speaking belt is Karthikeya 2, originally made in Tamil. Veteran actor Anupam Kher plays a pivotal role in the film.


During a recent interview, Kher opened up on the ongoing South vs Bollywood films debate and said, “You make things for consumers. (Problem starts) the day you start looking down on consumers, that, ‘we're doing you a favour by making a great film. Now you are watching a great film.’ Greatness is achieved by a collective effort and I have learned by doing films in Telugu...I just did another film in Telugu, I did a film in the Tamil language, and I’m going to do a Malayalam film."

He went on to add, "I think over there, I am not differentiating between the two but I think (their) cinema is relevant because they are not aping Hollywood. They are telling stories, over here we are selling stars.”

Talking about Karthikeya 2, the film has put up a great show at the box office. Directed by Chandoo Mondeti, the film stars Nikhil Siddhartha in the lead role. It is the sequel to the sequel to the 2014 film Karthikeya.

Keep visiting this space over and again for more updates and reveals from the glitzy world of entertainment.

More For You

Dhee on staying rooted, making ‘honest music’ and Tamil music’s global rise

The singer believes listeners worldwide are searching for “new sounds and new stories”

Longchen

Dhee on staying rooted, making ‘honest music’ and Tamil music’s global rise

Highlights

  • Dhee says Vari Vari emerged from a deeply personal and reflective period in her life
  • The singer believes listeners worldwide are searching for “new sounds and new stories”
  • She says remaining rooted in her identity has always been central to her music
  • Dhee hopes to release more albums and perform more frequently in the years ahead

A song shaped by reflection rather than intention

For Dhee, Vari Vari was not born out of a deliberate attempt to move in a new direction. Instead, it arrived during a period of reflection that naturally began influencing the music she was making. Speaking exclusively, the singer described how many of her recent songs have mirrored experiences unfolding in her own life, making them feel more personal than planned.

That emotional undercurrent eventually found its way into Vari Vari. Conversations with lyricist Vivek (Vivek Anna) slowly shaped the track, which grew from discussions around love and human connection. Rather than following a formula, the song evolved organically and became a reflection of thoughts she had already been carrying.

Keep ReadingShow less