RGV Praises South Films: Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi & NTR’s Bollywood Remake Success

Ram Gopal Varma Says South Superstars Rose to Fame Through Bollywood Remakes

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma (RGV) recently spoke about the early success of South Indian cinema and the rise of legendary actors like Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi, and NTR. According to him, their journey to stardom was heavily supported by Bollywood film remakes in the 1970s and 80s.

🎬 Bollywood Remakes Helped South Stars Shine

In an interview with India TV, RGV shared,
“In the beginning, all four South Indian film industries were remaking Amitabh Bachchan’s films from the 70s and 80s. Stars like Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi, N T Ramarao, and Rajkumar became famous through these remakes.”

He said these films helped the South stars connect with audiences and gave a boost to their careers.

🎧 Music Companies Were Also Making Films

RGV also talked about a time during the 1990s when Amitabh Bachchan took a break from acting. During that gap, many music companies started making films, mostly to promote their songs.

He pointed out how Bollywood filmmakers of that era had exposure to international cinema because they understood English well, and that influenced their style.

🧭 South Cinema Had a Different Focus

Unlike their Bollywood counterparts, South Indian producers in the 90s mostly made films with mass appeal. They didn’t follow international trends as much, and instead focused on strong storytelling that would connect with local audiences.

🎙 RGV on Making Satya and VFX in Movies

Recently, RGV appeared on a podcast with filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, where they discussed the heavy use of VFX and high budgets in today’s movies. RGV gave the example of his film Satya, saying:

“I didn’t plan to make Satya on a low budget. I spent only what was needed. That’s what made it look real. If I had added 5 crores more, the film would have looked five times worse.”

🎥 RGV’s Latest Work

Ram Gopal Varma recently directed Saaree, a psychological thriller. However, it did not receive much love from critics or audiences.

He also made a cameo appearance in the sci-fi epic Kalki 2898 AD, where he shared screen space with Prabhas. Directed by Nag Ashwin, the film is inspired by the Mahabharata and features a star-studded cast including Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, and Kamal Haasan.

Ram Gopal Varma’s bold statements and unique views continue to spark conversations in the film industry, showing that he still has a strong voice in Indian cinema.

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