Generalisations can be dangerous. For, they can sometimes camouflage reality. Like, for instance, the one thing we constantly hear in trade circles these days is that Bollywood films are falling like nine pins whereas South films are ruling the roost at the box-office in non-Southern circuits too. So let’s take a quick look at the South releases since December last year, when we first heard comments like ‘South films spell success while Bollywood has lost the plot’. But before we do a fair assessment, let it be said loudly and clearly that there is no doubt, three South films — Pushpa: The Rise Part 1, RRR and K.G.F. Chapter 2 — dubbed in Hindi did save the box-office from collapsing in the last six-seven months. However, there have been other South releases which have bombed at, what we may call, the Hindi box-office. Pushpa: The Rise Part 1 was released in December last year, RRR hit the screens in March 2022, and K.G.F. Chapter 2 made headlines in the whole of India in April this year. Apart from these three saviours, there have been seven more South films which have been dubbed in Hindi besides a South film shot in Telugu and Hindi, all of which have released this year so far.
…Three South films dubbed in Hindi did save the box-office from collapsing in the last six-seven months. However, there have been other South releases which have bombed at, what we may call, the Hindi box-office.
In February 2022, Hindi dubbed versions of Valimai, starring Tamil star Ajith, and Khiladi, starring Telugu star Ravi Teja, were released. Both the films bombed miserably in non-South circuits. March 2022 also saw dubbed versions of two South Indian films — James and ET – Etharkkum Thunindhavan — releasing all over India. While James starred Puneeth Rajkumar, ET – Etharkkum Thunindhavan had Suriya as the hero. Like Ajith and Ravi Teja, Puneeth and Suriya are also big stars in their respective regions. Both, James and ET – Etharkkum Thunindhavan, were box-office debacles. Thalapathi Vijay came to mesmerise the Hindi-speaking audience in April with Beast (Hindi dubbed version was titled RAW) but the Hindi film-going audience gave the hero and his film a raw deal. June 2022 so far has seen the dubbed versions of two South films vying for attention of the Hindi-speaking public. Vikram Hit List (dubbed version of Tamil Vikram) and 777 Charlie (dubbed version of the Kannada film of the same name) opened across the country. Although Vikram swept the Tamil box-office, Vikram Hit List (dubbed) could not do anything significant in the Hindi-speaking circuits. 777 Charlie (Hindi dubbed) also remained a non-starter. Major was another South film which released all over India this month but rather than being a dubbed Hindi film, it was shot in Telugu and Hindi simultaneously. Even Major has not scored in Hindi.
The score, therefore, is: three South hits/blockbusters as against eight flops/disasters/average earners. So next time, someone says, South content is scoring while original Bollywood films are flopping, you know, they are speaking through their hat. Incidentally, The Kashmir Files, Gangubai Kathiawadi and the most recent Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 are all Bollywood films which have done good/great business during the first half of this year so far.
The score, therefore, is: three South hits/blockbusters as against eight flops/disasters/average earners.