Telugu actor-filmmaker Vishnu Manchu believes artistes from the south should be actively promoting their films in the Hindi-speaking belt — as a gesture of gratitude. “You need to respect the money earned from the North, especially the Hindi heartland. They are showering love on our movies; we must acknowledge that.”

The poster for his upcoming fantasy drama Kannappa — set to release on June 27 — was recently unveiled by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The star-studded cast includes Akshay Kumar, Prabhas and Mohanlal.

On working with them, Vishnu says, “They’re great actors... This movie is far bigger than my market and has a big budget, so we needed a larger audience. People don’t see artistes as ‘South ka actor’ or ‘North ka actor’ anymore. Audiences are beginning to embrace them as apne actors.”

The 43-year-old also reflects on what’s driving south film’s box-office success across the country: “Filmmakers focus on rooted stories that carry emotional depth. But, it’s not fair to lump together all four industries — Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada — and pit them against Bollywood. Also, I feel the media has been quite harsh on the Hindi film industry.”

What’s next for him after Kannappa? “A pan-India film set during the Independence era; it’s going to shock the audience. We have many fascinating stories from our past that I want to tell. We’re already in talks with a big Bollywood star,” he signs off.