Filmmaker Kiran Rao recently shared her thoughts on the ongoing debate about Bollywood and South Indian cinema. She highlighted the unique storytelling approach of regional films and noted that industries like the Malayalam film industry are willing to take risks with their creativity and movies. She cited Mammootty’s 2024 horror movie ‘Bramayugam‘ as an example of exceptional storytelling.
In an interview with ANI, Kiran showered praise on South Indian filmmakers for their craft and narratives. She shared that she watches a lot of Malayalam films and is struck by their bold choices in stories.
“Even their horror films, like I saw a film called Bramayugam, which is a Mammootty film, incredibly artistically made using folk tales and the folklore of Kerala, and it’s a very different idea,” she emphasised.
According to Rao, one of the reasons South Indian filmmakers are willing to take risks is the relatively smaller industry size, which allows them to stay closely connected with their audience. “It’s the chances that they are taking with the stories they are telling, and perhaps that also comes from the fact that they are usually smaller industries that are technically only catering to their own—culturally, their language and their community,” she explained.
She considers this the reason why regional industries are unafraid to experiment with different ideas. She believes they understand their audience well, and their producers are willing to take chances on new storytelling.
Addressing Bollywood’s approach, Rao acknowledged that Hindi cinema operates on a much larger scale, requiring filmmakers to consider a more diverse audience. “You are making films for a diaspora, you are making films for all the states of the country. And I think maybe that is why people want to make something that they are very sure will succeed, and maybe that’s why there’s a tendency to go for a film that’s already successful, like a remake,” she noted. She also emphasised the importance of having “producers who are willing to take a chance” in order to foster diverse storytelling in Bollywood.
Kiran Rao began her journey in cinema as an assistant director on the acclaimed film Lagaan (2001), which was nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Foreign Language Film category. Her latest film, ‘Laapataa Ladies‘, also became India’s official entry in the Best International Feature category at the 97th Academy Awards.