Mohan Bhagwat Meets Telugu Film Fraternity as They Make ‘Religious Stories’?

The unusual meeting between RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and leading Telugu film actors, directors and producers reportedly brought into focus once again his belief that Tollywood is producing a greater number of god-centric films and actively promoting Sanatana Dharma in line with the Sangh Parivar ideology.

“RSS officials personally contacted Telugu actors, producers and directors and ensured their participation in Sunday’s meeting,” said a producer. “Probably Telugu cinema is making more films based on Lord Krishna, Hanuman and Lord Ram among other Hindu deities, the Sangh Parivar chief spent four to five hours interacting with Tollywood representatives even though the agenda was secret,” he added.

At a time when Bollywood stars are hesitant to overtly associate themselves with religious narratives, Telugu film stars appear to have emerged as torchbearers of Sanatana Dharma, increasingly bringing Hindu philosophy and gods to the fore in mainstream cinema. Tollywood actors are more assertively embracing faith-driven narratives, from spiritual symbolism to portraying themselves as guardians of dharma.

While Pawan Kalyan emphasized the propriety and sanctity of Sanatana Dharma in Hari Hara Veera Mallu, Nandamuri Balakrishna in his latest film Akhanda 2 urged the audience to strictly follow Hindu dharma to ward off evil forces. “This is a positive development,” says director Dolly. “Telugu stars are doing commendable work. They have realized the importance of age-old Hindu values ​​and are trying to spread them through cinema. Their pro-Hindu avatar has raised the bar.”

Are stars like Pawan Kalyan and Balakrishna consciously trying to connect with pan-India audiences, especially in the Hindi heartland, by portraying Hindu savior roles? Dolly disagrees. “They don’t deliberately seek such roles. When directors come up with spiritually-centered stories, actors are open to exploring them alongside regular commercial films,” he explains.

Is it unhealthy to inject personal belief systems into film roles? “I don’t think so,” says Dolly. “Every actor has the right to personal beliefs. They strengthen faith in society through chosen roles. Hinduism has a wide reach and acceptance and this naturally reflects on the big screen.”

Several recent Telugu movies like Karthikaya 2, HanuMan, Kannappa, Mirai and Akhanda 2 have made extensive use of Hindu deities like Lord Shiva, Hanuman, Lord Narasimha and Lord Krishna. While critics argue that this is limited to overuse, Dolly defends this trend. “Hindu gods symbolize courage, truthfulness and openness. Their depictions draw attention to whistles, chants and even treats like coconuts in theaters. Audiences form a strong bond with god-backed heroes. Unlike Hollywood superheroes like Spider-Man or the Avengers, these characters carry a divine connection.”

But not everyone is convinced. A senior producer, speaking on condition of anonymity, feels that Tollywood has diluted the genre. “Only a few films like Karthikeya 2 and HanuMan have made a significant impact among Hindi-speaking audiences. Many other films, including Hari Hara Veera Mallu and Akhanda 2, have failed to register at the Hindi box office. We are clearly going overboard and need to pause,” he admits.

“The appeal is understandable,” he adds. “Depicting Hindu gods during fight scenes is guaranteed to garner instant applause, but this temptation pushes filmmakers to go overboard. This trend needs to be curbed before it loses its novelty.”