Suresh Babu on Jigra's Telugu release: KJo aims to make Hindi films popular in South

Film producer Daggubati Suresh Babu emphasises the need for evolving content in Indian cinema, highlighting the crossover potential of Hindi and regional films, and the importance of catering to diverse audiences.

In Short

• Film producer Daggubati Suresh Babu talks about his association with Karan Johar
• His son Rana Daggubati will be presenting the Telugu version of Karan's film Jigra
• Suresh Babu believes we will soon see a rise in pan-Indian stars and films

Indian film producer Daggubati Suresh Babu, in an exclusive interview with India Today Digital, emphasised the need for evolving content in Indian cinema. He noted that currently, only "sophisticated massy cinema" is resonating with audiences. He also discussed the Telugu release of Alia Bhatt and Karan Johar's film Jigra.

Speaking about his association with Karan Johar and how his son Rana Daggubati assisted with the Telugu release of Alia Bhatt's Jigra, he said, "Rana helped Baahubali come to Karan Johar so he could bring it to the whole country. His aim and our aim is to see that a lot of Hindi cinema is dubbed into Telugu, Tamil, and other languages, so it becomes popular there, facilitating this crossover because everybody wants to own everything now."

He pointed out the recent successes of films like Kantara and KGF, which have illustrated the potential for regional cinema to break barriers and unite audiences. "We are now aware that we are one nation at the end of the day," he said.

Suresh Babu believes we will soon see a rise in pan-Indian stars and films, benefiting everyone involved in the industry. He stated, "This way, we will eventually make films for audiences all over the world because the art, at the end of the day, is the same."

Speaking about the crossover of Hindi and Tamil films, the film producer said, "We always have to keep evolving with our content. In the '80s, there were a lot of South films that were made in Hindi. Although very basic, we made very successful cinema. There was also a section of the audience who thought films such as Himmatwala or Tohfa were tacky, but at the end of the day, they were very successful."

When there was an overdose of that kind of content, said Suresh Babu, a very new, sophisticated Hindi cinema emerged, such as Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge and Kuch Kuch Hota Hain, "which catered even to an international audience."

He added, "Hence, the makers started to believe that there is only that kind of audience. However, while they were doing that, they forgot that there is a large Indian audience and a significant body of South Indian cinema, which was mass-dubbed and reaching the rest of the country. When that content became sophisticated, it gained traction nationwide, making creators realise this when films like Baahubali and KGF came into the picture and took over. This shift led Hindi cinema to seek that kind of mass appeal, resulting in films like Jawaan and Pathaan, which garnered substantial viewership."

Describing today's film-going audience, the film producer shared, "Today's viewership is predominantly the large mass and the youngsters; the others have gone off. So, if you want to make a movie for Gen-Z or for the ladies who are not interested in this so-called 'massy' cinema, it's for that particular segment where our country has content to offer. It's a perfect mix, and there is something made for every kind of audience that enjoys watching different kinds of films. It's the sophisticated massy cinema that's really selling today."

Daggubati Suresh Babu emphasised the importance of an open-minded approach for filmmakers seeking to create impactful content. He believes that many creators have developed "cobwebs" in their minds, leading to overly narrow perspectives on what will sell and what won’t. According to Suresh Babu, this mental clutter can hinder creativity and limit the potential of storytelling.

“In the end, the audience knows what they want to pick and what they want to avoid,” he stated, highlighting the need for filmmakers to remain attuned to the evolving preferences of viewers.