Siddharth Anand Ignites Debate with "Oops" Over Telugu Cinema’s Hindi Box Office Struggles
Mumbai, India – A three-year-old prediction by Telangana Minister Malla Reddy, confidently declaring Telugu cinema’s imminent dominance over Bollywood, has resurfaced and sparked a sharp reaction from acclaimed filmmaker Siddharth Anand. The minister’s bold forecast, made at the pre-release event for Ranbir Kapoor’s "Animal," asserted that "within 5 years.. Hollywood, Bollywood and India all will be ruled by our Telugu people."
Malla Reddy, then the Minister of Labour and Employment, passionately addressed Ranbir Kapoor, suggesting he would soon relocate to Hyderabad, which he hailed as the reigning city over "old" Mumbai and "traffic jam" Bengaluru. He further championed Telugu talent, name-dropping industry stalwarts like Rajamouli and Dil Raju, and highlighting the success of "Pushpa" and its star Rashmika. He even predicted "Animal" would cross the 500-crore mark.
However, a social media user recently revisited this clip, pointing out a stark contrast between Reddy’s prophecy and the subsequent performance of several high-profile Telugu "pan-India" films released in Hindi. The user highlighted a list of projects, including Jr. NTR’s "Devara," Pawan Kalyan’s "They Call Him OG," Vijay Deverakonda’s "Kingdom," Ram Charan’s "Peddi," Prabhas’ "The RajaSaab," Mahesh Babu’s "Guntur Kaaram," and Nandamuri Balakrishna’s "Daaku Maharaaj," all of which have reportedly underperformed or "bombed" at the Hindi box office.
Filmmaker Siddharth Anand, known for blockbusters like "Pathaan" and "War," offered a succinct, and some would say sarcastic, one-word response to the social media post: "Oops."
Anand’s comment quickly ignited a firestorm of reactions from Telugu cinema fans on social media. While some expressed frustration, accusing him of wasting time on Twitter instead of focusing on screenwriting, others lauded his perceived defense of the Bollywood industry. One user critically remarked, "Maybe if you spent less time on twitter replying trolls and more time on screenwriting, you wouldn’t have to blame the audience next time when your film fails." Conversely, another user praised Anand, stating, "Jo bhi bolo bc but he is the only bollywood director who always openly takes a stand for b’wood. Respect @justSidAnand."
Siddharth Anand, fresh off the massive success of "Pathaan" and the recent underperformance of "Fighter," is currently engrossed in directing his next mega-project, "King," starring Shah Rukh Khan. The star-studded cast also includes Abhishek Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Rani Mukerji, Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Raghav Juyal, Jaideep Ahlawat, Saurabh Shukla, Suhana Khan, Abhay Verma, and Arshad Warsi. "King" is slated for a theatrical release on December 24, 2026, placing it in direct competition with international tentpoles "Avengers: Doomsday" and "Dune Part Three," and coinciding with the release of "Jumanji 3: Open World."
The ongoing debate underscores the dynamic and often competitive nature of the Indian film industry, where regional pride and box office performance frequently intertwine, leading to spirited discussions among industry figures and fans alike.
