Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma recently shared his thoughts on the current state of the Indian film industry and the rise of the "pan-India" phenomenon. He also took a jab at a prominent film producer who had harshly criticised the first installment of Pushpa, starring Allu Arjun.
In a conversation with Pinkvilla, RGV recalled a specific incident. The producer, he said, had told someone, "The north audience will puke on this guy's face."
He added, "When he saw Pushpa 1, he told someone I know, 'North audience will puke on this guy's face'. I don't think it has anything to do with money, it has to do with the character. (The producer) likes a guy with a six-pack, super good-looking... He must be having nightmares now, after Pushpa 1 and 2."
He further pointed out that it would be impossible for Hindi filmmakers to recreate the essence of the Pushpa films because the subject matter doesn't align with their sensibilities.
He explained that many Hindi filmmakers are limited to the "Bandra area," implying their narrow scope of creativity. He mentioned that many South Indian directors, whom he did not name, are often not fluent in English and are deeply rooted in their cultural settings. These directors, according to RGV, have a connection with the masses and don't intellectualise their approach to filmmaking.
He said, "Most of the South directors, I'm not going to take names, they can't even speak English. They're very basic; very rooted and connected. They will not talk intellectually. They are more connected to the mass audience, which, I think, is impossible for a Bollywood director to do."
The Pushpa films have gone on to become massive blockbusters, collectively grossing over Rs 2000 crore worldwide. Pushpa 2 recently overtook Baahubali 2: The Conclusion as the second-highest-grossing Indian film of all time.