South Indian cinema is witnessing a boom in big-budget productions, with ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ currently topping the Rs 600-crore mark. However, SS Rajamouli’s upcoming film Varanasi, starring Mahesh Babu, is gearing up to break records with an estimated budget of Rs 1,200-1,400 crore, promising a global spectacle. Other high-profile films like ‘RRR’ and ‘Pushpa 2’ also feature prominently.
In recent years, the South Indian film industry has focused on high-budget projects aimed at producing world-class masterpieces. Epic films have big budgets, large-scale production, stunning visual effects, ensemble casts, and plots that attract viewers around the world.
Featuring stunning foreign locations, modern equipment, and top-notch actors, such films are making their way into the Indian film market. High audience expectations push filmmakers to produce better quality films, which encourages producers and directors to work harder and compete with international blockbusters.
‘Kalki 2898 AD “He currently holds the record
At present, ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ is the highest budget film in South India, costing around Rs 600 crore, as mentioned in Deccan Chronicle. Nag Ashwin has directed this future-focused magnum opus, which stars Prabhas, Deepika Padukone and Amitabh Bachchan in important roles. The film performed very well abroad, earning over Rs 1,000 crore worldwide.
The engaging story and stunning visual effects have wowed audiences, and the makers will soon be working on a sequel to expand the world of the film and meet higher expectations.
Varanasi is expected to set a new record
The record held by Kalki’s 2898m may soon be surpassed by the upcoming mega project ‘Varanasi’, directed by SS Rajamouli. According to Variety, the film is said to be being made on an unprecedented budget estimated between Rs 1,200 crore and Rs 1,400 crore.
If confirmed, it will be the most expensive film in the Indian film industry. The huge budget shows that the production company intends to make a film with beautiful scenery that anyone from any background can understand.
A star-studded cast and a globe-trotting story
Movie features
Mahesh Babu
in the lead role, along with Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Prithviraj Sukumaran in important roles. Described by the creators as a thrilling globe-trotting adventure story, the story appears to follow an adventurous journey through dangerous terrain and uncover ancient mysteries in locations across the world.
With action set in several foreign locations and sophisticated graphic sequences forming a major part of the plot, ‘Varanasi’ promises to set a new standard of grandeur and budget in the South Indian film industry.
Other big budget films on the top list
Other than ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ and ‘Varanasi’, there are many South Indian films in the most expensive list. ‘RRR’, directed by SS Rajamouli, was made on a budget of Rs 550 crore and became an international blockbuster. “2.0”, starring Rajinikanth and Akshay Kumar, also cost around Rs 400-600 crore. Another movie is ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’. This film stars Allu Arjun, and its production budget is estimated at 400-500 crores.
