A wave of multilingual films that breaks down regional boundaries – Entertainment News

Written by Siddhartha Anand Kumar

When the 170th film starring Rajinikanth was announced earlier this month, fans and trade experts welcomed the news with enthusiasm. The excitement surrounding TJ Gananavel’s film comes on the heels of the meteoric success of The Jailer, which featured not only Rajinikanth but also a multilingual star cast including Malayalam superstar Karnataka Mohanlal. As a result, there was great excitement.Shiva Rajkumar and Jackie Shroff. This diverse ensemble cast further enhanced the film’s pan-Indian appeal, with Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada versions captivating diverse audiences across the country.

Such astute casting has now become the new mantra of success for many big-budget productions and the audience is expecting many important on-screen pairings in ‘Thalaivar 170’.There are several speculations regarding Amitabh Bachchan.There is a possibility that he will be involved in the movie, but it is unconfirmed for now. But after the success of cult hits such as “Hum” and “Anda Kanoon,” the excitement from the audience will be unimaginable when the two stars make a memorable reunion. And of course, the film will reach a wider audience as well.

However, the confirmed cast also includes major stars from various industries, including Malayalam film stars Fahadh Faasil and Manju Warrier and Telugu superstar Rana Daggubati. This multilingual star cast brings great commercial value to the film as films increasingly blur the language barriers between industries.

So when did our films become truly pan-Indian? Probably in 2015, when SS Rajamouli’s blockbuster Baahubali was released in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi and Malayalam. , when it successfully demonstrated the potential of cinema to reach a wider audience by delivering visually rich content and dynamism. This momentum was further taken forward with the likes of ‘KGF’ franchise, ‘RRR’ and ‘Kantara’.

The popularity of OTT platforms since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic has forced manufacturers to think of new ways to ensure the ultimate theatrical experience that brings people to theaters from home. It was done. Multilingual films are one way he accomplishes this.

The ability for viewers to watch powerful content, irrespective of which language it is made in, has also given impetus to multilingual projects, with actors like Tovino Thomas, Fahadh Faasil, Prithviraj and many others now We have fans all over the country. Remakes, which were once mainstream, are on the wane as movies in different languages ​​are now available on his OTT platforms. With the exception of exceptional cases like the “Drishyam” series, demand for remakes is decreasing.

in most major cities of IndiaRegional films are now released with dubbed versions or subtitles, making it easier for viewers to access and watch the content.

Another notable trend regarding major multilingual projects is the tendency to incorporate the latest technological developments and state-of-the-art special effects to create an immersive cinematic experience.This place looks a lot like Hollywood. Real 3D, Dolby 3D, IMAX 3D, and even 4DX are heavily used to draw audiences to theaters.

“RRR” was released on 100 IMAX screens worldwide in both 3D and 2D formats. In 2023, ‘Pathaan’, also a multilingual pan-India hit, was released in 140 of his IMAX screens around the world. Thalapathy Vijay’s upcoming Tamil film ‘Leo’ has sequences shot on IMAX certified cameras. These indicators suggest that we can expect more visually rich spectacle in Indian cinema in the coming years.

Nowadays, most of the Hindi films and southern blockbusters are multilingual. When Yodhury made his first South Indian film Abhiyum Anuvum (2017), it was a bilingual project in Tamil and Malayalam. Since then, we have produced many films in Malayalam, Tamil, Marathi, Punjabi and of course Hindi. Our latest venture in Malayalam, ‘Malaikottai Vaarivan’ is one of the most important projects in our plans, with a larger-than-life canvas and the presence of a superstar like Mohanlal. It may be dubbed and released in the following languages. With a lead.

In addition to these blockbusters, there will also be content-rich regional films that appeal to audiences looking for intimate stories. The growing demand for regional content reflects the eagerness of audiences to celebrate linguistic and thematic diversity. Indian cinema is emerging as a force for diversity and this is truly a rich time for all storytellers.

(Siddharth Anand Kumar is Senior Vice President, Films and Events, Saregama India)