Producers Boney Kapoor and Naga Vamsi, alongside actor Siddharth, have stirred conversations online with their engaging discussions about the evolving global appeal of South Indian and Bollywood cinema. A recent interaction during a roundtable discussion saw them having a healthy debate on the dynamics of both industries, sparking concern among fans and industry insiders alike.
In an interview with Galatta Plus, Boney Kapoor reflected on the Hindi film industry’s historic collaborations with South Indian actors, citing the iconic success of ‘Ek Duuje Ke Liye’. “The audience accepted Kamal Haasan, even though he was a fresh face for the Hindi-speaking region. Directed by a South Indian filmmaker, the film was a massive success,” he explained.
Actor-producer Siddharth seized the opportunity to challenge Kapoor’s perspective, questioning whether Bollywood could replicate such collaborations today. Boney soon responded, “It can. Why has Adi Chopra (Aditya Chopra) taken Tarak (Jr NTR) for his film?”
This sparked further input from Vamsi and Siddharth. Naga Vamsi highlighted Jr NTR’s stardom, remarking, “Jr NTR isn’t a new face in cinema.” Siddharth expanded on this thought, adding, “You are talking about one of the biggest superstars in the industry working with one of the biggest film producers in India.”
Vamsi’s earlier comments about Bollywood’s market focus reignited online debates. He had stated that Bollywood films predominantly cater to audiences from Mumbai, Juhu, and Bandra. He credited blockbuster films like ‘Baahubali’, ‘
RRR‘, ‘Animal’, and ‘Jawan’ for revitalising Bollywood’s presence in the wider Indian and global markets.
Kapoor countered by asserting Bollywood’s longstanding history of delivering mass entertainers. Vamsi, however, emphasised that the differences between industries are rooted more in film quality than language.
The debate has polarised fans, with some accusing Vamsi of disrespecting Boney, while others laud the healthy exchange of ideas. Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta slammed Vamsi for his ‘fake and obnoxious’ attitude towards one of the senior producers in the industry.
