Southern Movies Script a New Screenplay for National Reach

Big-budget, mid-scale movies are leveraging city tours, influencer tie-ups, interactive content to build pan-India appeal

- Lata Jha

From Patna to prime-time TV, South Indian films are no longer restricting their promotions to their home turf. Big-budget productions and mid-scale films are aggressively chasing Hindi-speaking audiences with national campaigns, influencer-driven activations, and bilingual outreach, marking a sharp break from an once-localized publicity playbook.

With the Hindi belt contributing a significant chunk of box office revenue via dubbed version, Telugu and Tamil movies are pulling out all stops—from city tours and media pushes to interactive vlogs, games, and digital collectibles. The goal is clear: to build on the success of hits like RRR, KGF, Kantara, and Pushpa 2: The Rule.