Bollywood Vs South Industries: Has a Cold War Started Between Bollywood and South Industries?

The current situation seems to be evolving into a Bollywood versus South India conflict. There are allegations that some Bollywood celebrities are struggling to accept the fact that South Indian films are creating a sensation on a pan-India level. In the past, national awards were mostly won by Hindi films, which also used to dominate in terms of box office collections. However, the situation has drastically changed over the past few years. Especially after “Baahubali,” the influence of South Indian films at the Indian box office has significantly increased. Meanwhile, with the exception of one or two, Bollywood hasn’t released films that made a significant impact. This has led to growing resentment and dissatisfaction among Bollywood actors toward South Indian films. In this context, Bollywood actor Arshad Warsi’s use of derogatory language against actor Prabhas has sparked controversy. Recently, a South Indian star’s harsh comments about Bollywood films have fueled speculations that a cold war has begun between Bollywood and South Indian industries.

‘Bollywood is Undermining Our Country’

Kannada star Rishab Shetty made controversial remarks about Bollywood. He claimed that Bollywood has portrayed our country in a negative light at international film festivals. He stated that he is trying to make films that the country can be proud of. In a recent interview, Rishab Shetty shared his opinion about Bollywood. “Some Indian films, especially Bollywood movies, portray our country negatively. Our films are invited to global events, and they roll out the red carpet for them. That’s why I want to make sure I speak proudly about my country. I want to showcase the greatness of my country, my state, and my language to the world,” said Rishab. These comments went viral, with some netizens supporting Rishab while others criticized him, sharing scenes from some of his past films.

Arshad Warsi’s Grudge Against Prabhas

Bollywood actor Arshad Warsi recently spoke in an interview. While discussing the movie ‘Kalki 2898 AD,’ he expressed his jealousy towards Prabhas. Arshad said that he watched ‘Kalki’ and didn’t like the movie. He compared Prabhas’s character unfavorably to Big B Amitabh Bachchan’s character Ashwatthama, saying that Prabhas’s role fell short. He mentioned feeling sad while watching Prabhas on screen, expressing his disappointment. “Prabhas… I feel bad saying this, but he looks like a joker. I want to see him in a Mad Max-style movie. He should be like Mel Gibson in it. I still don’t understand why they made him look like that,” he said. Prabhas’s fans have expressed their displeasure over Arshad’s comments.

Telugu Heroes’ Strong Counter

Tollywood hero Sudheer Babu responded to Arshad Warsi’s comments on Prabhas in his own style. He said that criticism is not wrong, but speaking without control is definitely wrong, criticizing Arshad on the X platform. Sudheer mentioned that he never expected such unprofessional comments to come from Arshad Warsi and made it clear that comments from people with such small minds cannot affect someone like Prabhas. Young actor Aadi Saikumar also condemned Arshad’s comments, indirectly criticizing him without mentioning his name. “Prabhas, who has no insecurity, is the real deal. Without him, there wouldn’t be a ‘Kalki’ movie. I thought his role was amazing. Maybe Arshad is just jealous,” he wrote on X.

What Happened to Bollywood? : Allu Arjun

In recent years, South Indian films have been released on a pan-India level and achieved great success compared to Bollywood. Bollywood director Nikhil Advani recently shared interesting comments made by Allu Arjun about Bollywood. “In the past, I wanted to make a film with Allu Arjun. I met him for that purpose. He expressed his disappointment with the state of Bollywood. ‘What happened to Bollywood? Why have you forgotten how to showcase heroes?’ he asked. What he said is true—South Indian films showcase heroism and the key emotions in a way that connects the audience to the story. At one point, Bollywood produced many such films that achieved great success. Today, that element is missing in Hindi movies,” said Nikhil.