Telugu producer brutally bashes Bollywood; Boney Kapoor reacts
What's the story
A spirited debate recently unfolded between renowned producers Boney Kapoor and Naga Vamsi at the Galatta Plus Mega Pan-India Producers's Round Table 2024.
The discussion revolved around the influence and reach of different regional cinemas in India and abroad.
Kapoor pointed out that "Telugu films have a unique market in the US, Tamil films have a unique market in Singapore and Malaysia," while also noting the Gulf as a cosmopolitan area for cinema.
Influence debate
'South Indians have changed the way you look at cinema...'
Vamsi interrupted Kapoor's comments by saying the Gulf region also has a "huge market" for Malayalam films.
He then confidently claimed, "One thing, sir, you have to accept this. It might sound really harsh. We, South Indians, have changed the way you [Bollywood] look at cinema. Because, you guys [Bollywood], were stuck in making films for Bandra and Juhu."
"You witnessed a change with Baahubali, RRR, Animal, and Jawan," he added.
Defense stance
Kapoor defended Bollywood's influence and reach
Responding to Vamsi's claim, Kapoor disagreed and said Vamsi was "wrong there."
Defending his stance, he said, "In this forum, we can't be talking about every bit of knowledge we know. We need to talk in broader terms."
"When I say Mughal-E-Azam, Baahubali, and all that, it's not that I've missed out on other films...Even (Allu Arjun) said that he is a big fan of Amitabh Bachchan. He could have said that he was a fan of NT Rama Rao."
Global reach
Kapoor highlighted Bollywood's global impact, Vamsi countered
Vamsi responded to Kapoor and said, "I'm a huge fan of Shah Rukh Khan myself," adding that Arjun was a fan of Chiranjeevi, too.
Kapoor said, "He may be. But what he has spoken to media lately, is that he is a huge fan of Amitabh Bachchan. Which means, it is not the language."
"The barrier is never a language. The barrier is—what is good, and what is bad...It may be anything."
Cinema evolution
Kapoor and Vamsi debated over cinema's evolution and audience shift
Kapoor further explained that the business has evolved of late due to a shift in the audience's mindset, a change largely driven by OTT platforms.
He clarified that he wasn't trying to diminish Vamsi's viewpoint but was merely offering his own perspective on the matter.
This marked the end of their heated debate on the influence and impact of different regional cinemas in India and abroad.