Lured by a wide audience base and the possibility of fresh stories, several stakeholders in Bollywood—be it producers, studios, multiplex chains and even actor Ajay Devgn—are betting big on deals in the south.
Panorama Studios, the distributor of Malayalam thriller Drishyam 3 to be released in April, has signed a multi-film deal with Malayalam star Nivin Pauly. Reliance Entertainment had earlier announced a two-film deal with Unni Mukundan, another face from Kerala.
Multiplex chains Roongta Cinemas and Miraj Entertainment are expanding their presence with new properties in the south even as Bollywood actor-producer Devgn has sought government support for a film studio with VFX (visual effects) facilities in Telangana. Experts said both southern actors and technicians bring value to the table, from established fan bases to efficient working processes along with returns assured to a large extent for studios and cinemas looking to de-risk their investments in the unpredictable Hindi belt.
“On the exhibition and content side, investing in the south today is a very logical business call, especially for production houses,” said Bhuvanesh Mendiratta, managing director of multiplex chain Miraj Entertainment Ltd. “One big reason is audience behaviour. Moviegoing in southern states is nearly 2 to 2.2 times higher than many Hindi markets. People watch films more frequently, which gives producers and investors a lot of confidence.”
Most of the time, stars including Allu Arjun, Mahesh Babu, Prabhas, Pawan Kalyan, Jr NTR, Ram Charan, Nani, and Malayalam actors Fahadh Faasil, Dulquer Salmaan and Pauly don’t just open films, they sustain them over weeks, Mendiratta added. That kind of consistency is very attractive for producers planning long-term projects or multi-film collaborations.
Hindi films grossed ₹5,504 crore in 2025, while films in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada notched up a combined ₹5,874 crore, according to media consulting firm Ormax. However, the Hindi box office is driven by a handful of tentpole films such as Dhurandhar (which grossed over ₹1,000 crore) and Chhaava (over ₹800 crore), while the southern box office is more evenly spread and consistent.
Discipline, planning
From an exhibitor’s point of view, southern films perform strongly not just in their home markets, but also across Hindi belts, he emphasized.
Experts said collaborations with southern names come with several advantages, the biggest of which is the planning and discipline. Films in the south are carefully structured from the scripting stage itself. Budgets are realistic, timelines are respected, and money is largely spent on what the audience actually sees on screen. This allows filmmakers to deliver scale without budgets going out of control.
Another key factor is the fan base. Audiences in the south have a very emotional and loyal relationship with cinema and their stars. They turn up in large numbers from day one and continue supporting films for weeks, not just the opening weekend.
There are also practical advantages. Strong VFX infrastructure in Hyderabad, advanced sound and post-production facilities, and experienced technical crews make production more efficient. Additionally, the cap on average ticket prices in many southern markets encourages frequent movie-watching, which benefits both producers and exhibitors.
An added revenue stream today is dubbing. Many Hindi films featuring southern actors are dubbed and released in southern markets, creating incremental business that earlier didn’t exist for Hindi producers.
Film producer, trade and exhibition expert Girish Johar said the crossover between Hindi and southern industries where films are dubbed and released across markets has helped everyone recognize the value of an expanded ecosystem. Infrastructure including VFX facilities also makes sense given these frequent collaborations.
“A lot of Bollywood studios are stuck in the rut of unoriginal ideas and proposal-like projects with astronomically high budgets,” said film producer and distributor Yusuf Shaikh, also founder and chief executive of low-cost theatre chain Janta Cinema. “Since many do not know how to reinvent themselves, it makes sense to turn to the south where almost everyone dreams of making it big in the Hindi belt but may lack in investments.”
He added that the lure of mainstream Bollywood is undeniable, be it for actors or producers.
