Kollywood allots big budget only for commercial films. Bollywood film industry is straightforward that way. When compared to Bollywood, Kollywood is fake. They keep churning out the same films.
In Bollywood, you have to do one film at a time, and there are no mixed schedules. And doing four films at a time is out of the question. Telugu film industry works very differently. But the kind of films I'm getting here are better than what I've been offered in Bollywood.
Bollywood is very structured and organised, but Kollywood and Tollywood can be quite spontaneous, and I enjoy that.
I want to do Hindi films, but a proper one and a good production. I'm even open to multi-starrers because those work better in Bollywood. But it should be with only Bollywood technicians, not the South Indian team. There's no point to my going to Bollywood if I work with the same artistes and technicians.
I've chosen films that are different compared to the conventional Bollywood films we all know and love.
Bottom line is, off-beat film or commercial films, Tollywood or Bollywood, it's the role that matters to me.
The fact is I've always been such a big Bollywood fan, from the time I was very young. I remember I'd watch new Bollywood films every Thursday night on a video cassette.
In Bollywood, they've got their systems in place. It's a monster machine that's churning out, like, 400 films a year, consistently. They're able to efficiently process things.
Earlier Bollywood was a fly-by kind of business which few wished to be involved in. Now Bollywood is good business and everybody wants to be associated with films. This is definitely a very significant change that I have seen in Bollywood.
I don't think Bollywood is only mindless cinema, but a lot of films they churn out are not films that I completely enjoy watching.
I really respect Telugu cinema and the fact that people out here have a totally different style of working and are at par with Bollywood. Sometimes, they beat Bollywood with the kind of films they make.
I'm not avoiding the Tamil film industry because I'm making Hindi films. It's just that I'm extremely busy with Bollywood commitments.
Kollywood is my parent film industry. It was here that I was born as an actress and grew as an artist.
Filmmakers need to give the audience that something extra, an incentive to spend money and go to the multiplex - the ticket prices are high. Otherwise they'd just stay home, buy DVDs or download movies. But if there were only big budget movies it would be impossible for the film industry to survive. So I emphasize the importance of mid-range films. But those films need the support of theatre owners. The theatre chains have to have the vision to realize the need to support smaller films for the growth of the domestic film industry.
Hollywood and Bollywood films cannot be compared because of their budgets!
I had a very good experience while working in regional films. I have been very fortunate that way. There is no doubt that the South Indian film industry is very much at par with Bollywood.
In fact, the Bengali film industry is becoming more balanced between creativity and commercialization. And if Bollywood can remake south Indian and Hollywood films, why can't we do so!