Actor Vishnu Manchu has recently addressed the ongoing discussion about South Indian films staying rooted in culture and values, while Hindi films are often criticised for lacking such realism. Vishnu called for a more inclusive perspective that acknowledges the strength of all film industries, including Bollywood.In a recent conversation with India Today, Manchu addressed the growing perception that only South Indian films remain true to their cultural roots.Vishnu Manchu says Hindi films are also deeply rooted“It’s very funny when people talk only about the four South industries being rooted. Malayalam has always been rooted — they’ve been far ahead in storytelling. Tamil cinema too has very native, rooted subjects. Telugu and Kannada industries have that as well, but they tend to be more glamorous in their presentation,” he said.Manchu cautioned against diminishing the efforts and achievements of Hindi films in this space. He remarked, “People forget that even Hindi cinema has delivered some deeply rooted films that have done phenomenally well. One of the films is Stree 2, and then Chhaava, which have done phenomenally well,” he stated.The ‘Mosagallu’ actor further mentioned ‘PK’, ‘Dangal’, and ‘Munnabhai MBBS’ as incredible Bollywood films that are deeply rooted in culture.
Criticism from mediaHe also took a moment to critique the recurring narrative that Bollywood is in decline, stating that this view often overshadows the industry’s successes. In his opinion, the Hindi media has been harsh towards Bollywood and emphasised that the industry is not performing as poorly as people claim. He admitted that there is a dull phase, but people forget to celebrate the glorious releases and instead constantly harp on what didn’t work.Manchu further explained that the nature of the film business is unpredictable across regions and not just limited to one industry. He highlighted that all film industries — including Telugu, Tamil, and Hindi — face similar challenges, with only 15–20% of films succeeding globally. The combined success of South films may appear larger, but each industry struggles individually.About KannappaVishnu Manchu is currently gearing up for the release of ‘Kannappa’, which is slated to hit theatres on June 27.
