IS REGIONAL TO BOLLYWOOD AN EASY ROUTE?
Actors who have worked in other film industries say it can be tough
In a recent interview with HT, actor Taapsee Pannu opened up about her experience when she transitioned from the South films to Bollywood in 2013, and said she was treated like a newcomer and a struggler in Hindi films.
While the debate about insiders vs outsiders in Bollywood keeps raging on, Pannu’s statement added a different perspective to it. While many have spoken up about the hurdles people from non-film background face in Bollywood, what happens to actors who switch to Hindi films after being successful names in regional cinema?
Tamannaah Bhatia, who has starred in Tamil and Telugu films before shifting base to Mumbai, feel there should be no demarcations. “There’s always resistance initially but if you position yourself correctly, the transition can be smooth,” she says.
A popular face in Bengali films, actor Swastika Mukherjee feels prejudices exist mostly when it comes to actors who come from east. “People behave as if we don’t exist. We aren’t recognised, even if we’ve received National Awards. I’ve been to several auditions and this has been the general reaction,” says the Dil Bechara actor.
Many regional actors feel that one shouldn’t rely on their star status and expect the same treatment elsewhere. Sharing her transition story, actor Rakul Preet Singh had told us, “Your stardom matters to you only if you take it in a wrong way in your head. I don’t know Bhojpuri or Bengali actors, so I can’t expect people in Bollywood to know me.”
Language is another factor that regional actors feel becomes a hurdle for them in Hindi films. For Malayalam actor Tony Luke, who made his Bollywood debut with Badla (2019), the real challenge was mastering the Hindi language. “It’s a lot better now than it was 10 years back, to work in Mumbai. All these ongoing discussions and debates are for the good because it’s going to change the industry in a positive way,” points out Luke.
Bhojpuri superstar Ravi Kishan says, “When you come from the Hindi belt, there’s a bit of attitude change, but I’ve done films in several languages in the country. I’m proud that I brought the Bhojpuri film industry to the forefront,” says the actorpolitician.