Karan Johar and Vijay Deverakonda discuss Bollywood vs South cinema debate; know what both of them said

At the ongoing World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Mumbai, one of the most talked-about sessions featured a timely discussion on the perceived divide between South Indian cinema and Bollywood. The conversation brought together filmmaker Karan Johar, actor Vijay Deverakonda, and Kareena Kapoor Khan, and quickly turned into a strong call for unity across Indian film industries.

Moderating the session, Karan Johar addressed the long-standing comparison between the two regional industries by turning to Deverakonda and saying, “I do believe Vijay, you come from a cinema which is truly majestic and that is of course a separate debate: Is South cinema superior to Hindi cinema. I think that divides us.” His remark laid the foundation for a larger point—cinema in India should not be viewed through the lens of regional boundaries.

He continued, emphasizing the importance of a united identity in cinema. “We truly have to believe that it is Indian cinema. We are all Indian cinema. We are not North, we are not South, we are collectively making cinema what it is,” he said. Karan also took a moment to critique the role of media in fueling such divisions, urging them to avoid framing questions that pit one industry against another. According to him, “when you divide us, you break us.”

Vijay Deverakonda, who represents the Telugu film industry, responded thoughtfully, agreeing that the debate doesn’t add value to the craft. He said, “I think South-North debate can be interesting for headlines but not very productive for cinema.” For him, the future lies in collaboration, not comparison. He stressed that the only way Indian cinema can compete with global giants is by joining forces and expanding the reach of their stories.

He pointed to recent box office hits to drive his point home: “Shah Rukh Khan sir’s last film did a Rs 1000 crore film and then Allu Arjun’s film did Rs 1000 crore. So just imagine if you bring them together in one film.” Vijay believes such collaborations could unite audiences across the country and create a larger cultural impact.

Kareena Kapoor Khan expressed her enthusiasm for the idea, and Karan reminded the panel of the upcoming high-profile collaboration in War 2, featuring Jr NTR, Hrithik Roshan, and Kiara Advani. He said, “It is not just branding or sequel, but look at the star power… it is huge.” Set to release on August 15, the film is being seen as an example of cross-industry partnerships gaining momentum.

ALSO READ: WAVES Summit 2025 HIGHLIGHTS Day 2: Aamir Khan opens up on connection between Chinese audience and Indians; shares warm hug with Rajkumar Hirani