Actors who were previously famous for their heroic image in Bollywood are currently attracting attention in South India by playing antagonist roles. A recent example of this phenomenon is seen in the film 'Jan Nayagan', where Bobby Deol played the role of the villain.
Bobby Deol has also previously appeared as a villain in many films. In a recent interview, the actor noted that Tamil and Telugu films often require villains from Bollywood. This trend has been observed in the industry for many years.
In a conversation with Galaata Plus, Bobby Deol emphasized that the world of South India differs from the world of Bollywood: heroism is highly valued there, and films often elevate heroes to the status of worship. Therefore, they prefer villains from the Hindi cinema industry. This pattern has existed for decades; for instance, in the 90s, Rajinikanth's and Kamal Haasan's films featured villains from Bollywood. This tendency continues today.
Many actors, such as Sanjay Dutt and Sonu Sood, have taken on villainous roles against South Indian heroes. This allows them to amplify the scale of the actor's heroic deeds, as they fight not against a local gangster, but against a major hero from the Hindi industry. This technique, which demonstrates an equal scale between the hero and the villain in the film, resonates well with the mass audience and proves beneficial for box office collections.
Currently, Bobby Deol is in high demand in South India. His work in the 2023 film 'Animal' was so highly acclaimed that the actor received numerous offers from southern studios. He played a villain in Suriya's film 'Kanguva'. After roles in 'Daku Maharaj', 'Hari Har Veera Mallu', and 'Jan Nayagan', he has become a notable figure. Besides Bobby Deol, there is a clear fascination with Bollywood villains in several South Indian films.
Sanjay Dutt played the formidable role of Adhir in 'KGF Chapter 2', and also appeared as a villain in Vijay's film 'Leo'. Saif Ali Khan played the villain Bhairav in Jr. NTR's film 'Deva-Part 1'. Actor Akshay Kumar also debuted in South India, taking on the role of Pakshi Rajan in Rajinikanth's film 2.0. Vivek Oberoi has established himself in several South Indian projects, including 'Vivegam', 'Vinaya Vidheya Rama', 'Lucifer', and 'Spirit'.
Sonu, who usually plays heroic and supporting roles in Bollywood, demonstrated a menacing persona in South Indian films, becoming a villain in movies like 'Arundhati' and 'Dukudu'. Jackie Shroff has also been noticed in negative roles in the films 'Saho' and 'Bigil'.
After a prolonged struggle lasting about six months, Thalapathy Vijay's latest film, titled Jan Nagan, was released in cinemas. The film reached audiences after facing issues related to obtaining a censorship certificate, which sparked controversy.
July 23 is celebrated as the day of this event in Tamil Nadu. Outside the southern cinemas, long queues of people are observed wanting to see the first screening on the release day. Videos appeared on social networks, shot inside the movie theaters, where fans express their delight, applaud, and shout with joy.
When the film started, Vijay was given the title CM Vijay. Fans recorded moments of this event on their cameras. Additionally, large posters and billboards featuring Vijay were placed outside the cinemas. For example, a shot near the Sandhya theater in Bangalore was presented, where a cutout of Vijay was installed that was larger than the cinema itself. In this image, he displays his signature style, and fans take photos next to this cutout.
