Even Hindi language films continue to struggle at the box office, are constantly unable to attract big viewers, thus notice that films which change the story of sound regional pride, cultural identity and folklore, are being preferred. In a fast congestion and competitive entertainment scenario, regional history, myths and inherited stories are not only catching their grounds, but in many cases, concluding.
Ajay Devgan’s Tanhaji: Unseeded warrior probably set a template for this trend in recent years. Based on the life of the Maratha warrior Tanaji Malusare and his mythological occupation of the Kondhana Fort, the film was not just another period drama – it was a celebration of Maratha pride. The film earned around Rs 280 crore in India. Experts mentioned how Tanhaji benefited from his inherentness-it directly talked to the Maharashtrian audience, while cinematic scale and nationalism-operated subjects were given synergy for the audience across India. It was evidence that when the regional pride is wrapped in the commercial story telling, it can get a nationwide resonance.
If Tanhaji did the ground work, Kantara of Rishab Shetty turned it into a movement. Continued in Kannada with dubbed versions in other languages, Kantara was a folklore and dramatic drama about the relationship between man, nature and faith in the coastal regions of Karnataka. A pan-India, which began as a local success, turned into a blockbuster, in which the film was earning more than 300 crores in India.
The climax of the intestine of the film contained in the ancient tradition hit a raga with the audience beyond Karnataka. This showed how hyper-local stories, when stated authentically, can cut linguistic and cultural boundaries. After the success of the film, Rishab Shetty announced both a sequel and prequel, and in a new move, Shetty is now ready to play the role of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in an ambitious historic drama – a declaration that has already created a significant buzz.
Interestingly, the attraction with the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is not limited to the Marathi film industry. Bollywood is also watching the life of the Maratha icon for cinematic inspiration. National Award winning actor Vicky Kaushal is currently doing a film directed by Laxman Utekar, where he has played the role of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the brave son of Shivaji.
While Chhawa focuses on Sambhaji’s disturbed rule and their fight against the Mughals, its background and characters are associated with Shivaji’s huge legacy. The film aims to mix emotional story with the authenticity of a large-scale war scenery and duration-a formula that proves to work after Tanahji.
Ritish Deshmukh is from joining this growing list, who is allegedly developing his own cinematic on the life of Shivaji Maharaj after his first film of his successful Marathi direction.
This is not just Maratha history that is making its way on the big screen. South Indian cinema is actively embracing its mythological and devotional heritage. Actor-producer Vishnu Manchu is leading this effort with Kannappa, which is a film based on the legend of a tribal hunter-god of Lord Shiva.
The story of Kannappa, about whom he presented his eyes to the deity as a mark of final devotion, has long been part of the Telugu and Tamil folklore. Manchu’s film, with a contingent of actors, which features Prabhu, Mohanlal and Nayantara, one of the most anticipated mythological drama in the region. VFX was shot on a grand set with widespread use, the film hopes that Bahubali and Kantara managed to achieve that kind of pan-India appeal.
However, every culturally vested film has not found its audience. Ukala of Punjabi actor-Filmekar Gippy Grewal, who had turned into a turbulent period after the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, left an impression despite his ambitious scale. While it was appreciated for its intentions and authenticity, business experts believe that it had an attractive story style and extensive marketing that required a film on its scale.
This exposes an important aspect of the regional proud wave: just inertia is not sufficient. The story should be universally attractive while maintaining its cultural uniqueness. Filmmakers like Rishab Shetty and Om Raut (Tanhaji) have shown that this delicate balance should be attacked, local learning should be converted into consumable cinema globally.
The current success of culturally vested cinema is a reflection of large socio-political undercurants in India. At a time when viewers are looking for stories that confirm their identity and legacy, these films serve as a claim of both entertainment and cultural.
In addition, the success of such films has also inspired a generation of filmmakers of regional industries to think big. With streaming platforms, new markets and dubbed versions were made a standard exercise, a well -made, regional -contained film can now reach the audience in Kerala, Assam, or Gujarat as easily in Mumbai or Delhi.
