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EXCLUSIVE: Ram Gopal Varma claims Bollywood filmmaker’s struggle to make films like Pushpa 2: ‘They don’t think…’
Ram Gopal Varma recently shared his thoughts on the ongoing North-South debate. Read on to find out what the filmmaker had to say!
The North-South debate in Indian cinema is longstanding, with filmmakers and actors offering diverse perspectives. Acclaimed filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has now shared his thoughts on the topic in an exclusive chat with Pinkvilla, shedding light on the differences in storytelling, audience preferences, and the evolving landscape of Indian cinema. The filmmaker added, "Bollywood filmmakers struggle to make films like Pushpa 2—not because they aren’t capable, but because they don’t think that way."
Ram Gopal Varma candidly shared, "Let me tell you the primary difference between the so-called South Indian audience and North Indian audience. I don’t think the people themselves are different; they are the same. What is different is the films."
The filmmaker added, "Back in the peak era of Amitabh Bachchan, I’m talking about the 70s and 80s, the South Indian film industry used to remake Hindi films. Rajinikanth was making remakes of Bachchan’s films, and actors like Chiranjeevi and NTR were also doing the same. So, the South learned the craft from Hindi cinema—directors like Manmohan Desai and others."
See the full interview here:
He then added, "But then, at a certain point, music companies started emerging, and there was an explosion in the music industry. These companies began funding films to include songs that would promote their music. This shift led to action cinema fading out, roughly around the same time that Bachchan took a long sabbatical of about five years. The industry moved towards musicals like Maine Pyar Kiya and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, and Bollywood slowly forgot its masala roots."
Varma then added that, however, the South Indian industry never changed. They kept making the same kind of mass entertainers continuously. Their megastars and stories were crafted to evoke strong emotions in their fans, which is why South Indian stars have a more devoted fan base. The way their characters and narratives are structured creates that emotional connection.
RGV emphasized, "Then, about 15–20 years ago, a new wave of Bollywood directors emerged. They were more urban, more Westernized, and more exposed to foreign cinema. They spoke English, lived in areas like Bandra, and had a very different sensibility. Many South Indian directors, on the other hand, are still deeply rooted in their culture."
He added, "They may not even be fluent in English, but they are highly connected to the masses. They don’t intellectualize cinema or engage in "wine and cheese" conversations. Their thinking is aligned with the emotions of the mass audience."
Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma expressed that Bollywood directors struggle to create films like Pushpa 2, not due to a lack of capability but because of their approach to storytelling. He emphasized that the key difference lies in filmmakers' sensibilities rather than audience preferences, as Hindi cinema originally thrived on masala entertainers akin to Amitabh Bachchan's films.
However, while South Indian cinema retained this formula, Bollywood gradually distanced itself. He further pointed out that mass entertainers follow a simple structure with heroes, villains, and dramatic moments, but Bollywood has become overly focused on perfecting stories rather than delivering impactful scenes.
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