Bollywood has long been a dominant force in India’s film landscape, but the growing pan-India appeal of south cinema in recent years has challenged its supremacy. With the exception of a few Hindi releases, many films struggled at the box office, fuelling the narrative that Bollywood was losing ground. However, the massive success of Dhurandhar, which has entered the Rs. 1000 cr club, appears to have shifted the conversation – something filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma strongly believes.

In a post on X recently, RGV wrote, “The fireball of the southies’ invasion into Bolly wood has been kicked back by Aditya Dhar. From what I saw of Dhurandhar 2, if the first scared them, the second will terrify them.”

Known for his blunt opinions, Ram Gopal Varma clarified that his comment was not intended to undermine South cinema or create a divide. Speaking to Bombay Times, he said, “I referred to South cinema because their potboilers follow a certain template. Korean cinema is known for its unique style, and so is South cinema. Aditya Dhar took the same masala template, but elevated it aesthetically. That’s what has shaken everyone.”

According to him, the success of Dhurandhar will force South filmmakers to reassess their approach to scripts and storytelling. “The film is far more mature and nuanced in its execution,” he said, adding, “What makes the difference is the detailing. Instead of exaggerated action where people fly or bounce unrealistically, the action here feels believable. That level of maturity and character clarity is rarely found in traditional masala cinema, which often veers toward the tacky.”

Discussing Dhurandhar’s grounded storytelling, Varma highlighted the film’s decision to move away from the concept of hero worship, “When audiences embrace something as intense as Dhurandhar, how will over-the-top pan-India films survive? When Ranveer Singh makes his entry, the intention isn’t to make people clap. He’s treated purely as a character who disappears into the story. Every character matters equally. You don’t just remember Ranveer – you remember everyone. Giving each character their due is extremely rare.”

Addressing the claims that Bollywood is ‘finished,’ Varma remarked, “People say Bollywood is done because it stopped making films people enjoy. South masala films dominated during that phase. But would those films work the same way if they released after Dhurandhar? South cinema often strives for a perfection that ends up looking unreal – be it overly glamorous heroines or questionable relationship dynamics. That disconnect matters.”

Reflecting on history, the filmmaker added, “Many South stars – Rajinikanth, N T Rama Rao in the ’70s and ’80s – rose to superstardom through remakes of Hindi films, especially Amitabh Bachchan’s. In the ’90s, Bollywood shifted from masala to musicals, driven by music companies turning producers. Then came a generation of foreign-educated filmmakers focused on slice-of-life cinema. The South, barring Malayalam cinema, never stopped making masala films, which is why their stars became nationally popular. But the storytelling sensibility often didn’t connect with North Indian audiences.”

He continued, “Dhurandhar uses the same action-masala template but grounds it in realism. It’s being discussed for its music, dialogues, cinematography and action. South films may generate huge numbers and entertain theatre audiences, but there’s often little to discuss afterwards – excluding period epics.”

Comparisons between Dhurandhar and Varma’s own films, like Satya (1998) and Sarkar (2005), have been inevitable. Responding to that, he said, “Human conflict is universal – whether it’s the American mafia, Mumbai’s underworld, or any other setting. What matters is how the conflict is portrayed. The Godfather (1972) became a global benchmark because of how it was made. That’s what great cinema does.”