Nagarjuna talks about South vs Hindi cinema debate: 'Every industry has its ups and downs'

Nagarjuna on Hindi and South films debate

Veteran actor Nagarjuna recently shared his perspective on the ongoing debate surrounding the contrasting fortunes of the Hindi and southern film industries.

In a candid interview with Galatta Plus, he addressed the widespread belief that the southern film sectors are thriving while Bollywood is struggling, offering a more nuanced and grounded view of the industry dynamics.

When asked whether he believes the Hindi film industry has "lost it" while its southern counterparts seem to be on a winning streak, Nagarjuna dismissed the idea of any one industry having it all figured out.

“These narratives keep changing. It's like an actor or director had four or five years of bad times. Everything cumulative probably happened there, and films didn't work. And then they say the whole film industry is gone. In my time, in the Telugu film industry, it has happened four times. And I believe the fourth time will come now, very soon. I'm very sure, it's my hunch,” he explained.

He further elaborated on the current trajectory of Tollywood, disagreeing with producer Naga Vamsi's suggestion that a “bloodbath” is on the horizon.

Instead, he emphasised a shift in audience preferences, highlighting how regional films with unique storytelling and fresh narratives are finding success. “It's not going to be a bloodbath, but you'll see films like Tourist Family in Tamil or Court in Telugu working so well, or Anaganaga on OTT. All these thrillers, action, and gore. People's tastes are changing, and we need to keep that in mind. They have to change fast. If we don't look at the future, things could be pretty bad. I feel that's what happened in Hindi. Now they'll change. It can’t be fantastic all the time,” he added.

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On the work front, Nagarjuna was last seen in the 2024 film Naa Saami Ranga.

He has an exciting slate ahead, including Kuberaa, directed by Sekhar Kammula and featuring a stellar cast comprising Dhanush, Rashmika Mandanna, and Jim Sarbh. The film is slated for a theatrical release on 20 June.

Additionally, he will appear in Coolie, helmed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and starring superstar Rajinikanth, set to hit cinemas on 14 August.

Nagarjuna is also expected to announce another project later this year.