Project K, Jawan, Adipurush, Liger, KGF, and the fixation with a “Pan India” movie

The hurricane that was Baahubali in 2015 completely altered the direction of Indian film. India became aware of the influence of films produced in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam—the south belt—and recognised the immense potential these films offered. And thus the infatuation with “pan India films” started.

Since since, about 15 films have received this designation. Only lately have Yash’s KGF franchise, Brahmastra, and Adipurush been released. However, what precisely is a “pan Indian” movie? Is the phrase (and concept) passé?

Low ratio of hits to misses

Taran Adarsh, a trade expert, concurs that it has been misused. Pushpa and RRR became successful after Baahubali, making these films truly pan-Indian. Kartikeya 2’s Hindi release was successful as well. Many producers think, “Why not try our luck?,” he says. “When you create films for a bigger audience, the expenditure goes up and the return would be much higher if it worked. However, there are several instances of these films that failed, including Kabzaa, Adipurush, Vikrant Rona, and Liger, all of which starred Vijay Deverakonda and were released during the last calendar year. One of the greatest successes in Malayalam, 2018, by Tovino Thomas, failed to translate well into Hindi.

“You can count on your fingers the number of successful “pan India films.” Nobody can be forced to think little, however. During the Covid lockdowns, many people watched south Indian films, and the performers from such films quickly rose to fame in other belts, says Adarsh. Manoj Desai, a former producer who is now the executive director of G7 Multiplex, expresses his dissatisfaction with the hoopla around the phrase. Films are not available in this country. Why would people come to watch it if the material isn’t nice up until and until it is? He claims, “Sirf bol dene se film India ko pasand nahi aayegi.

IS ‘PAN INDIA’ A GLORIATED NAME FOR DUBBED SOUTH FILMS?

The core framework of what makes a pan-Indian cinema is a movie that is concurrently released in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada in addition to Hindi. Pan India phrase ek marketing tool hai, nothing more than that now, says trade analyst Atul Mohan. Producers believe that because of the dubbing, jahaan itna paisa lag gaya hai. But in reality, it’s a movie that attracts viewers right away; the moment it hits theatres, it becomes a hit. The only things that producers are now considering are “bada budget, ek north ka actor, ek south ka actor, aur action film, bas isko pan India bol ke bechte hain.” “Aise nahi hota, contentment bhi toh ho!”

The Hindi version of Kabzaa’s producer, Anand Pandit, states succinctly, “These are films which will interest both Hindi and non Hindi belts. I agree that some filmmakers just state that their films are pan-Indian without knowing the need, necessity, or attractiveness, he adds.

Cross-border cooperation: A boon or only for show?

Many Hindi cinema stars, including Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, and Raveena Tandon, have recently been cast in Kannada, Tamil, and Telugu films. Ajay Devgn and Alia Bhatt have minor parts in RRR. Is the purpose to just tick the North Belt box on the India-wide checklist? Nagarjuna in Brahmastra is an example of the opposite, as is Prabhas as Lord Ram in Adipurush. In fact, the film’s director Ayan Mukerji had remarked, “He entered the world of Brahmastra… and greatly added to our dream — of creating a truly pan-India movie experience..”

“I think this ‘pan India’ hype is a good thing,” adds Tandon, a KGF 2 actor. Our industries are combining into one powerful force right now. North or South is not discussed in the picture. A pan-Indian film is one that transcends all obstacles, including language, yet being fundamentally Indian. People approached me and yelled “KGF KGF” after I finished filming KGF 2 and began filming for another movie in Rajasthan. I was amazed that people in that state liked a Kannada movie. How wonderful is that?

KD The Devil’s actress Shilpa Shetty Kundra continues, “The difference between KD and a typical Hindi film I’ve done is the borders have blurred. The market has expanded. People like the plot, sensitivities, and blending of a Hindi cast with a Tamil, Telugu, or Kannada star.