Rakesh Roshan criticizes South Films for not progressing and staying on ‘Safe Grounds’

• Veteran filmmaker Rakesh Roshan criticizes South films for not “progressing.”
• South films are “grounded” and rely on traditional song-action-dialogue emotions.
• Roshan denied any indication that Hrithik could work on the film, stating he had no dates.

Veteran filmmaker Rakesh Roshan has charmed fans with his contributions to Indian cinema through his acting, direction, and production ventures. As the debate over South vs. Bollywood films continues to stir the internet, the “Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai” director has shared his thoughts, stating that South films are not “progressing.”

During a recent conversation with Zoom, Rakesh Roshan noted that South films remain “grounded” and continue to rely on traditional song-action-dialogue emotions. He stated, “They’re not progressing. Technically, they are, but storytelling-wise, they stick to the same formulas that work. They succeed because they don’t break any new ground.”

According to Roshan, the Hindi film industry is “breaking paths.” He explained this by citing his example, noting that after making “Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai”, he chose not to make another romantic film. Instead, he created “Koi Mil Gaya”, introducing Hrithik Roshan’s character as a superhero. “These are the challenges we took. They don’t take them. They play on safe grounds,” he added.

Rakesh Roshan is currently enjoying the re-release of “Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai”, which originally came out in 2000. The film introduced his son, Hrithik Roshan, and Ameesha Patel to the industry. Over the years, the romantic drama has gained cult status among cinephiles.

In another interview with “Bollywood Hungama”, Roshan revealed that after his son’s big-screen debut, he was shot in broad daylight in Mumbai while leaving his office. Despite being shot with two bullets, the filmmaker drove himself to the hospital and recovered.

Soon after, he discovered that some underworld criminals wanted Hrithik Roshan to work in a film funded by them. However, when Rakesh Roshan refused their demands, he faced the consequences. “I never gave any indication that Hrithik could do a film for them,” the director told the publication, adding that he kept making excuses, saying Hrithik had no dates.