The biggest challenge with the Pan-India model may not be the budgets. It is the time a star hero has to give to one film.
Big Pan-India projects are increasingly taking two to three years to reach theatres. Shooting, post-production and promotions can keep a hero’s dates blocked for a long period. In that time, a star may end up doing just one film.
This is where Mythri Movie Makers producer Y Ravi Shankar’s Pan-South idea becomes interesting.
Instead of turning every project into a massive Pan-India film, a strong Pan-South approach could allow filmmakers to work with more manageable timelines. The biggest advantage is the possibility of getting more films out of the same hero.
A hero who spends three years on one Pan-India project could potentially complete two or even three films in two years if the production timelines are shorter.
That means more films, more director combinations and more opportunities for stars to connect with audiences. For producers, it also means money can move faster instead of being locked into one project for years.
Pan India gave South cinema a bigger market. But Pan South could offer something equally valuable thats time. And for star heroes, that could eventually mean three films in two years instead of one film in three years.
