What makes these stars back regional cinema?
What regional cinema lacks in budgets and star power, it more than compensates for with amazing stories. And top Bollywood actors, who’ve climbed the heights of fame thanks to their mainstream vehicles, are now drawn to regional language films for precisely this reason. The interesting thing is that the Bollywood biggies — such as John Abraham, Priyanka Chopra, Akshay Kumar, and Madhuri Dixit Nene — aren’t starring in these films but are backing them as producers.
John, who has scored backto-back Bollywood hits with Parmanu and Satyameva Jayate, has launched his first Marathi production, Savita Damodar Paranjape. Madhuri is producing a yet-untitled Marathi film, which will be a family entertainer. Priyanka, now a global star thanks to her Hollywood success, started by producing a Bhojpuri film, followed that up with Punjabi and Marathi films, and is also producing Sikkimese and Assamese films. Akshay is presenter for the Marathi film, Chumbak. Another Bollywood star, Riteish Deshmukh, made his debut as a Marathi film producer in 2013 with Balak Palak; his second production, Mauli, is under way.
“Regional cinema is far superior to regular commercial cinema for a reason. They don’t have the [big] budgets, so the only thing they have is the content. That’s why you find the best of content coming out of Marathi and Malayalam cinema,” says John.
Top Bollywood producerdirector Karan Johar is in this club, too — after presenting the Hindi version of SS Rajamouli’s blockbuster Baahubali films, he also turned presenter for Madhuri’s Marathi acting debut, Bucket List.
These actor-producers are also tasting immense success, e.g. Priyanka’s Marathi production, Ventilator (2016), won three awards at the 64th National Film Awards.
Ravi Jadhav, who directed Balak Palak, says that such names help regional cinema reach a pan-India audience. “With Riteish’s help, Balak Palak reached a national viewership,” he adds.
Calling this a positive trend, trade analyst Taran Adarsh says, “Films in regional languages are doing so well, and there shouldn’t be any [division]. Films are films — in any language.”