Actress Samantha shares her views on the North vs South debate in films. At Business Today’s Most Powerful Women in Business 2024 event, the actor highlighted the contribution of Telugu filmmaker SS Rajamouli and how he changed the game for pan-India cinema.

The 37-year-old actor said that conscious efforts are being made to bridge the North vs South divide and make the film industry operate in a more inclusive manner. When asked why it took so long for South Indian films to emerge on a pan-India level, Samantha explained, “I haven’t thought about why it took so long. However, I think South Indian films are great filmmakers. Maybe but I think he might not be good at marketing, that might also be a reason.”

He appreciated the Baahubali and RRR director’s vision, and said, “With Baahubali (the two-part series) Rajamouli sir (director SS Rajamouli) really opened up (more avenues for South Indian films). He was probably the first person Who thought ‘let’s see, I think this film has got wings.’

The popular actor mentioned his latest Prime Video series, Citadel: Honey Bunny, and the importance of thinking about inclusivity at the most basic level when making cinema. He said that the idea of ​​bridging the gap of North versus South is not only a necessity but also an imperative for developing cinema.

Samantha elaborated, “In Citadel: Honey Bunny, I speak English, Telugu and Tamil in one sentence. I speak three languages. I think that involves an idea about how to bridge this gap quickly and , how to be more inclusive. That’s an important thing and we’re making a conscious effort to do that now.”

For Samantha, it is important to always be conscious of her choices and make decisions that reflect progressiveness. She also talked about being a female actor in the industry today and expanding her horizons as an entrepreneur and a producer.