In the world of pan-Indian films, it’s common to see big Bollywood names being roped in by directors. Take Rajamouli, for instance, who often casts Bollywood stars like Ajay Devgan and Alia Bhatt in his movies. However, director Prashanth Neel has a different approach when it comes to his film ‘Salaar’.
Apart from senior actor Tinu Anand, Salaar doesn’t feature any Bollywood stars in its cast. Instead, it boasts a lineup of actors like Prabhas, Jagapathi Babu, Prithviraj, Shruti Haasan, Bobby Simha, and Shreya Reddy, mostly hailing from Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam cinema. Prasnath Neel responding about this said that creating a believable world for the native audience is his priority, with the intention of ensuring universal appeal across the country.
Prasanth Neel explains, “To succeed on a pan-India scale, winning the audience in your own region is crucial. I’ve approached Salaar as a Telugu film at every stage, despite its broader marketing due to the success of films like KGF and Baahubali.” This strategy, according to him, helps in connecting deeply with the audience.
In contrast to the trend, where Bollywood stars are often seen in pan-Indian movies, Prabhas’ presence in Salaar without any Bollywood actors is sparking discussions on social media. Reports suggest that the actor, previously more focused on Bollywood, now aims to maintain his popularity in the South, especially post his involvement in ‘Adipurush’. This shift in focus seems to align with Prabhas’ plans for his career trajectory.
