Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, popular for movies like Satya and Rangeela, said in a recent interview that no one in Bollywood can make something like the Allu Arjun-starrer Pushpa 2: The Rule. He also recalled a prominent Hindi film producer's crass comments about Pushpa: The Rise.
"“When he saw Pushpa 1, he told someone I know, ‘North audience will puke on this guy’s face’. I don’t think it has anything to do with money, it has to do with the character," Verma said in an interview with Pinkvilla. He also dropped a hint that the producer likes a guy with a 6-pack who is "super good-looking" as his hero.
"He must be having nightmares now, after Pushpa 1 and 2." He explained that a Hindi filmmaker would never be able to make something like this because they are restricted to Bandra.
"Most of the South directors, I'm not going to take names, they can't even speak English. They're very basic; very rooted and connected. They will not talk intellectually. They are more connected to the mass audience, which I think, is impossible for a Bollywood director to do."
He said that the 'sensibility difference' in Bollywood has nothing to with the audience since people will watch films from any industry if they're well made. He added: “Stars should always play stars; they shouldn’t play characters. If they change, you will disconnect. Even if you change, you should cater to the same emotion."
He also said that in Bollywood, there is too much emphasis on the story whereas in South, directors only look at scenes and don't care much about the story. "A big actor once told me, ‘I never listen to the story, my only question is, ‘Mera entry kya hai?' ”
Pushpa 2: The Rule had a dream run during its 64 days at the box office. In India, Pushpa 2 raked in ₹1,234.1 crore as of its two months at the box office. At the worldwide box office, the film made a total of ₹1,742.1 crore during its 64 day-long run.