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Tamil cinema has always had a strong presence in South Indian entertainment, but in recent years, many Tamil actors have been making a significant shift towards Telugu cinema.
The Telugu public has always welcomed Tamil actors such as Vijay, Ajith, Suriya, Dhanush, and Rajinikanth, turning them into household names in both industries.
Several Tamil movies have achieved huge success in the Telugu market, sometimes even outselling their original Tamil box office collections. Why, then, are Tamil actors heading straight to Telugu cinema?
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One major reason is the wider audience and box office pull that Telugu cinema offers. Several Tamil films, when dubbed in Telugu, fare better than their Tamil collections, which encourages actors to make a foray into direct Telugu films.
Some of the prominent examples include Vijay’s Master (2021), which collected substantially in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Kamal Haasan’s Vikram (2022), which received a massive response in Telugu states, and Rajinikanth’s movies such as 2.0 and Jailer, which did extremely well in the Telugu market.
Better pay is another propelling force. As Telugu producers consider these actors bankable, they are prepared to offer them much higher salaries than Tamil producers.
For instance, Vijay was said to have been paid ₹120-150 crore for Varisu, a Tamil-Telugu bilingual, while Dhanush demanded ₹25-30 crore for Sir, another bilingual movie. With such fat paychecks, Tamil actors make Telugu movies a money-making proposition.
Telugu cinema also offers better production values and pan-Indian penetration. After the massive success of Baahubali, Pushpa, and RRR, Telugu cinema has become the face of Indian cinema worldwide.
Most Tamil actors now regard Telugu cinema as a way of accessing a wider audience outside South India. Large-scale productions, better technical standards, and big promotions make Telugu films more appealing to stars in search of pan-Indian acceptance.
Another important reason for this change is the commercial nature of the Telugu industry.
Compared to Kollywood, which sometimes struggles with budget constraints and star-driven productions, Tollywood ensures that actors get their payments on time and provides large-scale promotions.
The well-organized production and distribution system in Telugu cinema offers actors a more secure and professional environment.
However, this trend poses several challenges to Tamil cinema. Tamil producers are losing their stars as Telugu producers bid them away.
The sector is also experiencing inflation of budgets, as actors are calling for the same hefty cheques in Tamil cinema, which makes production more costly. Also, few actors are opting for Telugu commitments over Tamil projects, thereby delaying their mother industry.
Stay tuned to Koimoi for more South updates!
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