Gone are the days when the South Indian film industry was only limited to South Indian audiences and limited budgets. The last few years have seen a surging rise in the popularity of the south cinema among all kinds of masses. This has led to South cinema being made on extravagant budgets to offer fresh content to the audiences. Looking at the humungous success of the recently released South movies, it is safe to say that the scale of South cinema is only going to get grander in the future. Meanwhile, here are the 11 most expensive South Indian Movies made in the country to date.
1. Baahubali Series
Directed by master director SS Rajamouli, Baahubali Series Movies- The Beginning & The Conclusion are two of the most expensive South movies made in India. The movies star Prabhas, Anushka Shetty, Rana Daggubati, Tamannah Bhatia, Ramya Krishna, Sathyaraj, and Nassar in pivotal roles.
Baahubali 1 was made on a budget of 180 crores while Baahubali 2 was made on a budget of 250 crores, taking the total budget of the series to 430 crores.
About the Movies-
Baahubali: The Beginning- In the kingdom of Mahishmati, Shivudu falls in love with a young warrior woman. While trying to woo her, he learns about the conflict-ridden past of his family and his true legacy.
Baahubali: The Conclusion- After learning that his father was brutally killed by Bhallaladeva, Mahendra Baahubali raises an army to defeat him and release his mother from the former’s captivity.
2. Pushpa: The Rise
One of the biggest blockbusters of 2020, Pushpa: The Rise is also one of the most expensive South films made in India. The movie stars Allu Arjun in the lead role and has some deadly action sequences. The movie also has Rashmika Mandana and Samantha Prabhu in important roles.
Pushpa: The Rise was made on a budget of Rs. 200 crores.
About the movie
The movie tells the story of a man named Pushpa who’s denied respect in society and his name carries no value in Seshachalam town. He then decided to make a name for himself without the support of his father’s family.
3. RRR
SS Rajamouli was at it again in 2022 as he directed RRR- Rise Roar Revolt starring Ram Charan and Jr. NTR which was an epic period drama narrating the stories of 2 revolutionaries fighting against the British Raj. The movie also stars Alia Bhatt,
The movie not only turned out to be a blockbuster at the Box Office but has also won accolades at the Oscars and Golden Globes. RRR was made on a budget of 450 crores.
About the movie- A fearless revolutionary and an officer in the British force, who once shared a deep bond, decide to join forces and chart out an inspirational path of freedom against the despotic rulers.
4. Saaho
Helmed by Sujeeth, Saaho is an action thriller starring Prabhas and Shraddha Kapoor in lead roles. The movie was promoted for its high-octane action sequences but did not receive a very good response at the box office, especially in Hindi language.
Saaho was made on a budget of 350 crores.
About the movie- The movie follows the life of an undercover agent who along with his partner is on a mission to trace a thief.
5. Adipurush
Adipurush is a multilingual period drama movie directed by Om Raut that is scheduled to hit the theatres on June 16. The movie stars Prabhas, Kriti Sanon, and Sunny Singh in lead roles. It is a magnum opus and an adaptation of the Indian epic Ramayana.
The movie is made on a budget of 500 crores.
About the movie- Adipurush is an adaptation of Indian mythology that depicts the triumph of good over evil.
6. Ponniyin Selvan: I
Directed and co-produced by Mani Ratnam, Ponniyin Selvan: I is a period drama that was released in 2022. It stars an ensemble cast including Vikram, Jayam Ravi, Karthi, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Trisha, Jayaram, Sobhita Dhulipala, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Vikram Prabhu, and Ashwin Kakumanu. The movie is the 1st of the 2 parts based on Kalki Krishnamurthy’s 1955 novel with the same title.
Ponniyin Selvan: I have a budget of 500 crores.
About the movie- Sensing an uprising in the capital, Crown Prince Aditha Karikalan sends his friend Vallavaraiyan Vandiyadevan on a mission that sets off a series of conspiracies against the reigning king.
7. Robot 2.0
The sequel to 2010 Robot starred superstars Rajnikanth and Akshay Kumar in lead roles. The movie merged sci-fi and social issues as it showcased a rivalry between a disassembled humanoid robot and a former ornithologist who wants to save birds by banning cell phones.
Robot 2.0 was made with a budget of 600 crores.
About the movie- When mobiles start flying from people’s hands, Dr. Vaseegaran and his robot Nila are asked to help. However, due to Pakshi Rajan having a hand in this, the two have to reinstate Chitti to defeat him.
8. Robot
The sci-fi movie was released in 2010 and was originally made in Telugu post which was dubbed in Hindi and many other languages. It starred Rajnikanth and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in lead roles and was made on a budget of 132 crores, which was one of the highest then.
About the movie- Vaseegaran, a brilliant scientist, builds Chitti, a unique robot, who is programmed to protect mankind and also feel human emotions. Problems arise when Chitti falls in love with his girlfriend.
9. Kochadaiiyaan
Released in 2014, this historical fiction drama was first made in Tamil post which it was dubbed in various languages. It stars Rajnikanth, Deepika Padukone, and Shobana in lead roles and was made with a budget of 125 crores.
About the movie- Rana, a noble warrior, seeks revenge against his father’s killer, Rishikodagan. Meanwhile, he also upsets and attracts the ire of the enemy kingdom’s ruler, Raja Mahendran.
10. Sye Ra Narasimha Reddy
It is a 2019 Telugu language epic historical action drama directed by Surender Reddy and produced by Ram Charan. The movie stars Chiranjeevi, Nayanthara, Tamannah, Sudeep, Vijay Sethupathi, and others in important roles. It has been made on a budget of 200 crore. It has an IMDb rating of 7.2/10.
About the movie– Ten years before the Sepoy Mutiny, Emperor Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy of the Rayalseema region fights the British East India Company in order to put an end to their atrocities.
11. Salaar
Salaar is an upcoming action thriller that is expected to release in September 2023. It is directed by Prashanth Neel and stars Prabhas, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Shruti Haasan, and Jagapathi Babu in lead roles. The movie has a budget of 200 crores approximately.
About the movie- A gang leader tries to keep a promise made to his dying friend and takes on the other criminal gangs.
So these are the 11 most expensive South movies produced in India to date. Which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comments section below.
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