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The Pan-India Dream | Part 1

Discover how Baahubali, KGF, Pushpa, and RRR reshaped Indian cinema by breaking language barriers and setting the gold standard for pan-India films. This article explores the rise of cross-industry blockbusters and why their success felt unstoppable

There is a discernible shift underway in Indian cinema (Bollywood + major Southern film industries) with regard to cross-industry casting, pan-India ambitions, and what kind of risk producers are willing to take. Several recent examples — like War 2, Deepika’s exit from Kalki 2, shelved projects with Aamir Khan & Lokesh, and speculated shelving of sequels like Devara 2 — seem to suggest that the enthusiasm for big cross-over ventures is being tempered by box office reality, scheduling issues, creative/practical demands, and more cautious investment. In the 4-part article I try to sketch what we do know, what seems implied, and what could be driving this pullback, along with possible futures.

Not too long ago, Indian cinema seemed to have found its golden formula. When Baahubali stormed into theatres, it didn’t just break box office records — it broke barriers. For decades, Hindi cinema had occupied the position of “mainstream” while films from the South thrived within their linguistic borders, occasionally crossing over with dubbed versions on cable television. But Baahubali changed that narrative. Suddenly, a Telugu film was not only the country’s most talked-about production but also a box office juggernaut in Hindi-speaking markets.

That shift emboldened others. Prashanth Neel’s KGF franchise doubled down on scale and swagger, and Hindi audiences embraced Yash as though he were one of their own. Pushpa: The Rise gave Allu Arjun pan-India stardom almost overnight, with its dialogues and songs entering pop culture far beyond Andhra and Telangana. And then came S.S. Rajamouli’s RRR, which sealed the deal: NTR Jr and Ram Charan were no longer just Telugu superstars; they were global icons.

This success created a fever in Mumbai. Producers, once accustomed to exporting Bollywood faces to the rest of India, now saw the reverse as the future. The “pan-India” label became a marketing pitch in itself. Hindi studios began courting Southern actors, Southern directors eyed the North as an open market, and stars envisioned careers straddling industries. It was a moment of inclusivity and ambition, of cross-pollination that promised to break the silos of Indian cinema forever.

But ambition comes with its own gravity. The higher the leap, the harder the fall.

Stay tuned for Part 2

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