Why small south Indian films are skipping Hindi theatrical releases

Even with stars Hindi audiences recognise, such as Rashmika Mandanna and Dulquer Salmaan, producers of small and mid-budget southern films often see little value in spending on a Hindi release, including dubbed versions, entertainment industry experts said. This is because only big-ticket, action-driven projects and dramas heavy on visual effects (VFX) are seen to resonate with Hindi movie-goers, limiting the appeal of niche cinema from the south. Instead, they opt to sell streaming rights and premiere on OTT within four weeks of the theatrical release. As a result, their Hindi versions, if they exist, aren’t shown by national multiplex chains in north India.

“A lot of small and mid-budget films choose not to go all out in the Hindi belt because the economics simply don’t make sense. For a film made for ₹15–20 crore or less, the marketing costs in the Hindi-speaking markets can easily exceed the production budget. Without strong familiarity with the actors in the Hindi market, it becomes tough to drive first-day footfalls. So even when a film is dubbed, producers prefer to stay focused on home states where they’re confident of steady recovery, instead of taking a risky, expensive nationwide approach," said Bhuvanesh Mendiratta, managing director of Miraj Entertainment Ltd, which operates multiplex theatres.

Big-budget spectacles and sleeper hits

For now, southern cinema's bid for the northern market is likely to remain limited to big-budget spectacles, industry experts like Mendiratta say. Genres like mythology, action, fantasy or period dramas travel the best because their sheer scale excites audiences everywhere. These films don’t need a heavy cultural context, and they also justify big marketing spends. On the other hand, quite often the themes of small-budget, niche films are rooted in local emotions, humour, family dynamics or cultural cues that land instantly with Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam or Kannada audiences. Many of these films are intimate dramas or region-specific thrillers that depend a lot on cultural familiarity.

Film producer, trade and exhibition expert Girish Johar said makers of these films fear an aggressive push for securing an all-India release could backfire, given that costs often outweigh recoveries. “OTT windowing is also a major concern. Unless the films release post eight weeks online, multiplex chains will not screen them, so it is hardly wise to spend unnecessarily on theatrical distribution in such a case," Johar pointed out.

To be sure, a few southern films such as the recent Kannada hit Kantara: A Legend Chapter-1, negotiated OTT windows in a way that while the southern versions could premiere within four weeks, the Hindi version followed the standard eight-week period mandated by multiplexes. The film built on the success of earlier blockbusters such as the Baahubali and Pushpa franchises, making over ₹224 crore from its Hindi version alone. However, many feel that even smaller films have the potential to make it big in the Hindi belt.

“Today, a good film, regardless of its language, travels far, and if our audiences can access foreign language films, they surely can access cinema in regional languages, be it on the big or the small screen. As far as small and mid-budget films are concerned, they may not have the marketing budget to reach out to every demographic," film producer Anand Pandit said.

Citing the example of films like Kantara, he said that its cultural-rootedness was a major draw. “Multi-star, multi-language big productions generate excitement and have the resources to support widespread distribution and promotion, but there will always be sleeper hits across the board to take us by surprise," he said.