Actor Sundeep Kishan believes the growing popularity of South Indian cinema isn’t just about blockbuster successes – it’s about finally receiving the respect the industry always deserved. In an exclusive conversation with India Today while promoting his Netflix series, Super Subbu, the actor reflected on how perceptions have shifted over the years, recalling a time when he was advised to hide his identity as a “South actor” while pursuing work in Hindi cinema.
When asked whether South cinema was underestimated before films like Baahubali changed the landscape, Sundeep said the issue went beyond being overlooked. “To be honest, not only was it underestimated, it wasn’t really respected the way it should have been. And I don’t blame them because they didn’t have the access to watch what was being made.”
He further added, “oday, thanks to wider access and the growing popularity of dubbed versions, audiences across the country are watching content from here like never before. It’s a moment of both pride and relief to see these stories reaching people with the right understanding. I think the whole of South India, all the four languages, deserves it. Some great cinema is being made, and it’s not just the budget, it’s the perception.”
‘I was asked not to say I was a South actor’
The actor then recalled an incident from the early years of his career that, according to him, highlights how attitudes have changed. He explained, “I worked on a Hindi film in 2008. I shot for it, and it released in 2010. The way I was seen then to today is completely different. Whenever I used to go for meetings for my next film – one of which I had even signed – I was asked not to say that I was a South actor. You’d rather come from Shor in the City.”
“Now, I’m not questioning their intent. But today, the same people would say, their PR peg would be ‘South actor Sundeep’. It’s not about me becoming somebody known. It’s just the fact that the respect the place I come from carries today is really nice,” he said.
‘We’ve always been collaborative industries’
Sundeep stressed that the relationship between Hindi and South cinema has always existed, and the current divide is largely a matter of perception.
He said, “We’ve always been collaborative industries. Actors from here go there, directors keep crossing over. Even 30–40 years ago, there was a film shot in Hyderabad with Jeetendra sir and Krishna sir doing bilinguals, with Ramanaidu sir producing it. So we’re talking about 40 years ago. It was probably just a brief 10-year phase of PR that created a certain perception about South cinema.”
Continuing further, he said, “The very next day, you’ll have someone like Mithila Palkar saying this is one of the top three favourite characters she’s ever played. So it’s a mix of everything. It’s about what you choose to see. Amrish Puri sir did Telugu films. He was one of my favourite actors as a kid.”
‘We’re finally getting our due’
According to the actor, one of the biggest signs of change is that actors from Mumbai now actively want to work in Hyderabad. – “I have many friends in Mumbai who genuinely want to work in Hyderabad now. It feels like our industry is finally getting the recognition it deserves. And it’s not just Telugu cinema – Malayalam, Kannada and Tamil films are all breaking barriers. Even Made in Korea, a Tamil Netflix original, trended worldwide. It shows that something is changing, and we’re grateful to be part of it.”
‘I’ve always been a huge fan of Hindi cinema’
While celebrating the rise of South cinema, Sundeep said he has always admired Hindi films and believes the influence has gone both ways.
He explained, “I’m a huge fan of Hindi cinema and grew up watching it. One of the reasons I did Shor in the City was because I loved the kind of indie films being made then. Do Dooni Chaar and Chillar Party are still among the best films I’ve watched. In many ways, the films being made in the South today were inspired by that phase of Hindi cinema. It’s always been a two-way exchange of ideas. The only difference now is that PR narratives have turned it into a rivalry.”
Super Subbu is a seven-episode series, streaming on Netflix.
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