Ram Gopal Varma, aka RGV, has never been one to shy away from bold takes on matters. The filmmaker, popularly known for classics like Rangeela and Satya, just stirred fresh conversation when he credited Bollywood legend, Amitabh Bachchan, for shaping the careers of South Indian cinema’s biggest stars. In a recent interview, the ace filmmaker didn’t hold back when he mentioned some of the biggest names in the South, claiming that they earned their status through remakes of Bachchan’s blockbusters.
Ram Gopal Varma credits Amitabh Bachchan’s blockbusters for South Indian stardom
Amitabh Bachchan majorly dominated Bollywood during the 1970s and ’80s. When he took a break in the ’90s, Bollywood coincidentally shifted to music-heavy films like Maine Pyar Kiya. Speaking to IndiaTV Showbiz, RGV claimed that around the same time, leading faces in South Indian cinema, including Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi, NT Rama Rao, and Dr Rajkumar, earned their demigod-like status as they started starring in the remakes of Bachchan’s blockbusters. He was quoted as saying:
“In the beginning, the entire South, all four languages, were remaking Amitabh Bachchan films. Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi, NT Rama Rao and Rajkumar were making remakes of Bachchan’s films of the ’70s and ’80s. Then, in the ’90s, Mr Bachchan took a long five-year break. At the same time, coincidentally, the music companies entered the scene. They made films just to sell their music. That’s when movies like Maine Pyar Kiya came out. But the South never stopped making the so-called masala films, which they picked up from Bachchan. That’s how those stars became big demigods. It continues to date.”
Ram Gopal Varma says South directors are less exposed to cinema
Varma pointed out that even as Bollywood began to experiment with romance-led narratives in the 1990s, the South clung to its winning ‘masala’ formula. Speaking of the creative mindset of filmmakers, RVG drew a stark contrast between Bollywood and the South. He claimed that Bollywood directors had broader exposure to international cinema, whereas those from the South were deeply grounded in local storytelling traditions. In his words:
“If you observe, most commercial directors in the South are very less exposed to cinema. They can’t talk about cinema like we do. They’re very close to the ground root.”
RGV recalls a producer saying Pushpa would be a box office failure
Further in the interview, the ace director recalled an incident that occurred before the release of Allu Arjun’s mega hit, Pushpa: The Rise, which collected Rs. 186.55 crore in India. However, before the movie even hit the screens, Varma recalled an unnamed producer dismissing the film, predicting it would fail because of Allu Arjun’s rough and unconventional character. He shared:
“Upon seeing the movie about three or four days before the release of the movie, he said the audience would puke on Pushpa. He was not referring to the actor. He was simply turned off by the character. They are so used to good-looking six-pack heroes on staple diets that they can’t comprehend a hero chewing paan at all. They are not watching the film; they are watching the film as what they perceive the audience would watch.”
Ram Gopal Varma’s candid statements come at a time when Bollywood is painted as a remake-obsessed industry. The director’s views challenge the current narrative, reminding that adaptation has always been a part of Indian cinema, and Bollywood gifted many original pieces at a time when other languages were relying on adaptations.
What is your take on Ram Gopal Varma’s views about South India’s superstardom?
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