Baahubali and the rules for cinematic acceptance in the North

The recent box office success of Baahubali 2 has had many people cheering that cinema from South India is slowly gaining acceptance in the north. And perhaps it is so. The Baahubali film franchise has done good business in the north of India. Prior to this, the Rajinikanth-starrer Sivaji did phenomenal business in the north — particularly the Capital. The success of these films suggest that while the average north Indian filmgoer may still not be familiar with most south Indian film stars, there is a growing acceptance and eagerness to see south Indian films, if only, as one viewer put it, to see what the fuss is all about.”

But is this really true? Are Bollywood and north Indian audiences really accepting South Indian cinema? A quick look at the films that have recently been mega hits in Bollywood show that while Bollywood film-makers and producers are getting more adventurous in exploring films with south Indian themes, locales, and characters such as Chennai Express and 2 States — they are still not comfortable going beyond the tried and tested formula of Bollywood stars.

Granted, there is nothing wrong with an Alia Bhatt or Deepika Padukone — she is from Karnataka — playing a Tamil girl in 2 States or Chennai Express, but it ensures south Indian stars continue to remain the ‘other’. The only way for a south Indian actress to make it in Bollywood is to shed her roots on-screen and become the ‘north-Indian Bollywoodised woman.’ From Rekha and Hema Malini to Tabu and Deepika Padukone, all of them have incorporated this narrative and the rules really haven’t changed much. The same rule, incidentally, is true for most of their male counterparts.

The results of this can be seen in Bollywood cinema over the decades. Apart from Ek Duuje Ke Liye starring Kamal Haasan and Rati Agnihotri and the more recent Raanjhanaa starring Dhanush and Sonam Kapoor films, showcasing north-south star pairings, who showcase their background and cultural differences in the film’s narrative, remain in a minority. The result: “non-Bollywoodised” South Indian stars remain away from the Bollywood lens.

Apart from the fact that film-makers are still not comfortable with north-south screen pairings, there are — despite the success of Baahubali and Sivaji — certain rules that govern south Indian cinema’s success in the north. For instance, with few exceptions, South Indian cinema’s recent success has come through tapping into universal myths that resonate with all Indians. The idea of good versus evil, Rama versus Ravana, superhuman heroes that fly and defeat villains is masala that we can all relate to, and feel comfortable with, regardless of barriers of language or lack of familiarity with the on-screen star.

The other factor is that today’s multiplex audience wants more special effects, for which they seem to be willing to forgo cultural familiarity and star identification. The huge success of Hollywood superhero films and their emphasis on 3D or 4D is the same reason why masala extravaganzas like Baahubali and Sivaji have achieved huge commercial success, even putting pressure on Bollywood stars to follow suit. 

Granted, this is a huge step forward. But as of now, it means that north Indian audiences are demanding a certain type of formulaic cinema rather than culturally-rooted south Indian or Hollywood cinema. The true test of acceptance will come when we see north-south Indian screen pairings as natural; north-south Indian screen couples discussing their backgrounds with ease and more realistic storylines that involves a true marriage of Bollywood and Tollywood stars. Till then, as Baahubali has shown, we will all continue to buy into the great Indian myth.