10 south male movie stars whose fandom goes beyond state boundaries

With multiplexes playing films with subtitles and online streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hotstar acquiring new films across Indian languages, the boundaries of stardom have been stretched further than ever before.

While the southern superstars of the previous generations too enjoyed a fanbase outside their respective industries, the out of state audiences mostly got to know them through dubbed films which did not release with the same fanfare as a new film. Now, however, not only do we have simultaneous releases in multiple languages, the increase in accessibility means that people who like a star’s work are keen to watch films made in a language that’s not their own. This is especially applicable to male stars because they usually focus on increasing their stature in one industry rather than work across industries like their female counterparts.

Here are the top south Indian male actors of the current generation who’ve expanded their appeal and are getting new audiences for their industry:

Vijay: Tamil star Vijay enjoys a wide fanbase not only in the Telugu states where Tamil dubbed films have often released but also in neighbouring Kerala. His last film Bigil released in around 300 screens across Kerala and made close to Rs 11 crore in three days. If reports are to be believed, the film went on to collect close to Rs 20 crore from Kerala, making it to the Top 10 films in 2019 at the Kerala box-office. Vijay fan associations in Kerala have over a lakh registered members.

Fahadh Faasil: Fahadh has done two Tamil films so far – Velaikkaran and Super Deluxe. However, the Malayalam actor enjoyed a fanbase in the state even before he stepped into the Tamil industry, and his Malayalam films are in fact more popular with the Tamil audience. His multistarrer Bangalore Days ran for 100 days in Tamil Nadu, but it was Maheshinte Prathikaram which made him stand out for the Tamil crowd. The film ran for more than 50 days at the Chennai box-office. Ever since, Fahadh’s films have been eagerly awaited in the state. With hits like Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum and Kumbalangi Nights (it ran for seven weeks in Chennai), Fahadh has endeared himself to the Tamil audience.

Allu Arjun: The Telugu star is so popular in Kerala that he’s referred to as ‘Mallu Arjun’. Kerala has never been the bastion of Telugu stars but all that changed with Allu Arjun’s Arya. The dubbed version of the film caught the fancy of the state and ever since, Allu Arjun has been a favourite with the young audiences in Kerala. His recent film Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo was released simultaneously in Kerala as Angu Vaikuntapurathu, and the Telugu as well as Malayalam versions of the film were bought by online streaming platform Netflix. Allu Arjun is popular in Tamil Nadu, too.

Vijay Sethupathi: An actor who has consciously stayed away from the superstar mould, many of Vijay Sethupathi’s films have found fans outside Tamil Nadu. However, with Vikram Vedha, his popularity soared in Kerala where the film reportedly made around Rs 6 crore. His 96 was also a big hit in the state, and a Kozhikode-based art studio called Gulbonda even made Ram and Jaanu dolls modelled after the characters. The film made Rs 7 crore and is reportedly his highest collection from the state. His Super Deluxe, which also had Fahadh Faasil in the cast, was welcomed in Kerala as well. Following all the love he received from the state, Vijay Sethupathi made his debut with Marconi Mathai in an extended cameo, but the film proved to be a disaster. However, his popularity remains unscathed.

Prabhas: With Baahubali, Prabhas demolished the boundaries for regional cinema like never before. He instantly became a pan-Indian star. The actor’s next film after Baahubali 2, Saaho, released in 4,500 screens across the country. Though Saaho came as a disappointment, Prabhas is still a huge star in many states outside of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. His older films like Mirchi, Chatrapathi, Varsham and Rebel have also been discovered by fans from other states since.

Nivin Pauly: Nivin’s Premam became the first Malayalam film to run for over 250 days in Tamil Nadu. He was already somewhat familiar to the Tamil audience, having done Alphonse Puthren’s Neram, a bilingual which released in Tamil and Malayalam. However, it was Premam that went on to become nothing short of a phenomenon and established Nivin Pauly as a star in Tamil Nadu. The actor went on to make his Tamil debut with Richie which ended up being a misfire. However, Nivin is still popular in Tamil Nadu and his Love Action Drama, with Nayanthara as the heroine, did fairly well in Chennai despite being panned by critics.

Dulquer Salmaan: Dulquer is one of the rare male stars who has managed to deliver hits in different languages. He made his Tamil debut with Vaayai Moodi Pesavum but it was OK Kanmani which really established him with the Tamil audience. Like his father, Mammootty, Dulquer too does films in multiple languages though his primary industry continues to remain Malayalam. His recent Tamil film Kannum Kannum Kollaiyadithal was a hit in Tamil Nadu, but his Malayalam films have also found an audience in the state. His recent production Varane Avashyamund, in which he also starred, did well at the Chennai box-office.

Suriya: Though the actor has had a bad run for a while, Suriya is quite popular with the audience in Kerala. His natural acting endeared him to audiences in the state, and with films like Kaakha Kaakha, Vaaranam Aaiyiram, Ghajini and Singam, he went on to increase his fanbase outside Tamil Nadu. However, his market in Kerala appears to have shrunk in recent times due to bad choices. Nevertheless, it’s always possible for him to make a strong comeback since he’s still regarded as a good actor. Suriya is also popular in the Telugu states.

Karthi: Suriya’s brother Karthi became a favourite with Telugu audiences after Awara, the dubbed version of the Tamil hit Paiyaa. Since then, Karthi has enjoyed a good market in the Telugu states. The Telugu version of Aaiyrathil Oruvan, Yuganiki Okkadu, was declared a hit while the original Tamil only did average business. His Tamil Naan Mahaan Alla also had a similar fate – more popular in Telugu as Naa Peru Shiva than the Tamil film! His Kaithi, which released in Telugu as Nijam, beat Vijay’s Whistle (Bigil in Tamil) at the box-office in the Telugu states.

Yash: Like Baahubali for the Telugu industry, KGF was the Kannada film industry’s leap into the big league. Yash became a familiar face across states, thanks to the success of the film. KGF reportedly made Rs 250 crore at the box-office. With a sequel on the cards, Yash’s popularity is expected to grow and if he capitalises on it by making the right choices, Yash might bring in new audiences for his upcoming films outside the franchise too.