Think about the big-budget films that hit theatres recently. Now ask yourself how many of them were directed by Bollywood filmmakers and how many came from the South?
Fans have noticed a clear trend. Most major Hindi releases are now being helmed by South Indian directors.
Take Baby John, starring Varun Dhawan, which released last December. It was directed by Tamil filmmaker Kalees, who earlier assisted Atlee, the director of Jawan.
Then came Deva, starring Shahid Kapoor, released in February this year. It was directed by Malayalam filmmaker Rosshan Andrrews.
Jaat, featuring Sunny Deol, was directed by Telugu filmmaker Gopichand Malineni, known for Krack and Veera Simha Reddy.
Tiger Shroff’s Baaghi 4, which released in September, came from Kannada filmmaker A. Harsha, the man behind Bhajrangi, Veda, and Bhima.
And leading the pack is Sikandar, Salman Khan’s massive 2025 project, directed by Tamil filmmaker A.R. Murugadoss, celebrated for Ghajini, Darbar, and Holiday.
This shift has sparked debate among fans who feel Bollywood is facing a creative drought especially among directors and writers.
Many believe top actors and producers now prefer South Indian filmmakers because their stories connect with audiences across India, even without chasing that “pan-India” label.
Fans argue it’s not a crisis of talent but of vision. South Indian directors tell local stories with universal appeal, while Bollywood often reuses the same formulas.
Writers in Bollywood face a similar struggle. They’re underpaid and pushed to deliver “safe” scripts instead of original ideas. Producers rarely back bold storytelling.
Big budgets and star power don’t guarantee impact. Films work when they feel grounded and emotionally rich something South Indian cinema has mastered.
Fans now hope Bollywood stops playing it safe and takes risks again, both in storytelling and in the filmmakers it chooses to trust.
