Southern films adopt ensemble casts to transcend language barriers, go pan-India

Southern filmmakers have now upped their game, throwing the net wider and embracing an ensemble cast to cater to pan-India audiences, as streaming platforms and compelling content tear down language barriers.

These filmmakers are ensuring that the projects feature even more known faces from each southern state and cater individually to Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi regions via such strategies. While Kalki 2898 AD had actors like Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Dulquer Salmaan, Anna Ben and many others, Rajinikanth’s Vettaiyaan features Bachchan, Rana Daggubati and Fahadh Faasil alongside him. Earlier, Rajinikanth’s Jailer also saw stars from various language industries including Mohanlal, Shiva Rajkumar, Jackie Shroff and others make appearances.

“It’s about time that filmmakers stopped compartmentalizing talent and keeping various language industries in these watertight shells. It’s a great idea to be organic about casting and have anyone who fits the bill, play the role," independent exhibitor Vishek Chauhan said. Chauhan added that the recognition actors are getting across states, such as southern film actors in the Hindi-speaking belt has prompted makers to attempt such casting decisions.

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Moreover, even films made in specific southern languages such as Tamil or Telugu have begun to cater to markets such as Kerala and Karnataka, other than north India, aggressively.

“OTT platforms have broken all barriers and audiences are watching all kinds of cinema. Even directors know actors can travel across geographies easily and today, on a streaming platform, you essentially have a Fahadh Faasil competing with a Manoj Bajpayee for attention. There is a potential for a robust theatrical space to grow as well with this mix and match," Chauhan added.

Failed to sparkle

Over the past few months, big Bollywood hits have failed to sparkle in the southern theatres, as local movies high on action and drama draw away audiences hooked to single-screen themes. Trade experts said that after Jawan released last year, no Hindi movie has managed to draw big numbers in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, once lucrative markets for commercial films featuring top Hindi film stars like Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan. 

With mainstream commercial elements missing from most Bollywood films, southern movies continue to dominate their native states. However, things could change if Hindi films begin to deploy such casting strategies. In the coming months, Yash Raj Films’ War 2, starring Hrithik Roshan, will see Jr NTR play the lead antagonist.

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Film producer Yusuf Shaikh pointed out that without such pan-India ensemble casts, films essentially stay local and rooted to the language they are originally made in. A case in point being recent Tamil films such as Raayan and Vikram. 

“The interest levels automatically go up when filmmakers up the game (with actors across multiple states). Plus, the stars themselves are also keen to expand their fan following across markets, especially when they get an opportunity with a good banner," Shaikh said. He added that Hollywood films turning to Chinese faces or Indian actors such as Irrfan Khan to play villains, were examples of a similar strategy.

To be sure, while casting high-profile faces can inflate film budgets, trade experts say the actors are brought in for few days of work and important but limited roles, so the remuneration is adjusted accordingly. The idea is to bring in at least a fraction of their individual fan bases to contribute to the overall box office, film producer, trade and exhibition expert Girish Johar said.

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