David Lagachu
6. Govinda
If one sits down to decode the qualities that makes Govinda a star, one will notice that he is an all level player, not particularly brilliant in one particular aspect of the craft of acting. He didn’t have the best body in the business but he did action quite often and danced like it’s his second nature. He wasn’t the best looking actor out there but his facial expressions were a delight to watch. Comedy is his forte but he did fairly well in dramatic scenes too. However everyone is unanimous in their pinion that he is an energetic actor and is always a joy to watch. In fact ‘Energetic actor Govinda’ will be a perfect way to market him in the South on the lines of ‘Style Star Allu Arjun’. It will be a delight for his fan all over if Govinda makes his much-needed comeback with a South Indian film.
5. Ranveer Singh
There are hundreds of memes and online articles dedicated to his restless nature and colourful dressing sense. He is not only a fine actor but also a trendsetter and a trailblazer. His love affairs are the topic of daily gossips and his off-screen shenanigans are headlines grabbing. His dedication to his craft is known to all; he got so engrossed in his preparation for the role of Alauddin Khalji in ‘Padmavati’ that he had to consult a psychiatrist to get out of it. Right now he is the most bankable among the young crop of actors. And it will only be sensible decision if the filmmakers from the South decide to invest money in him. By the virtue of being a Bollywood actor he has a pan Indian appeal and it will be really interesting to see him in films of different languages.
4. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
She is a South Indian by birth and as destiny would have it she made her silver screen debut with a Tamil film ‘Iruvar’. If we go by the five Tamil films she has done so far she is already an established star in the South. Mani Rtanam’s ‘Iruvar’ is considered one of the finest Tamil films of all time. ‘Jeans’ (1998) was the most expensive Indian film at the time of its release and so was ‘Enthiran’ in 2010. She was paid a whopping 6 crore fee for the latter, the highest for any Indian actress then. Her third Tamil film ‘Kandukondain Kandukondain’ won the Filmfare award for the best Tamil film of the year 2000. Even ‘Ravanan’ was a hit in the South although the Hindi version ‘Raavan’ bombed at the box office. It’s only a matter of time before she takes the South Indian film industry by storm, once again.
3. Irrfan Khan
He has excelled in whatever kind of cinema he has ventured into; Indian, British or American. He had the guts to say no to filmmakers like Steven Spielberg and Ridley Scott because the roles didn’t excite him enough. In his films he has played the bad guy, the romantic lead and the indifferent co-star with élan and even Hollywood couldn’t resist his charms in films like ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ and ‘The Namesake’. Here’s an actor who is willing to experiment with his roles and language is no barrier for him as long as the content is strong. Recently his pursuit for excellence has taken him to places like Bangladesh and Iran. His foray into South Indian films has been slow to say the least with only a negative role in the Telegu film ‘Sainikudu’ so far. Given his credentials as an actor it will be delight to see him dramatic South Indian films. Hope Mani Ratnam is listening.
2. Rajkummar Rao
The success story of Rajkummar Rao is an inspiration for any actor worth his salt. Within a short span of just seven years he has risen to the top of the Bollywood film chain. In 2017 he had six releases to boast of, including ‘Newton’ which is India’s official entry into the Oscars. It will be interesting to watch whether he will able to keep the momentum going or not in the near future. He is the kind of actor who pushes the envelope and looks for challenging roles to play. In a recent interview he expressed his desire to act in Telugu films and the film lovers across the country can’t keep their calm. Here’s why he has a very good chance of making it big in the South: He can easily get under the skin of the characters he plays and once he is in his zone he can easily outshine even the biggest of stars in a scene.
1. Akshay Kumar
Some of his finest comic hits – ‘Bhool Bhulaiya’ and ‘Garam Masala’ – are the remakes of cult South Indian movies while his average entertainers like ‘Rowdy Rathore’ and ‘Singh is Bling’ bear an uncanny resemblance to the dubbed South Indian films that frequents the Hindi movie channels. Akshay Kumar possesses all the qualities which might make him the first Hindi film actor to be major Southern superstar. His comic timing is legendary and his physically flexibility is the stuff that action dreams are made of. He has gravitas which not many actors can boast of and he can pull off even the most outrageous of scenes with a straight face and a conviction that will make you look for logic in places where there is none. The Rajinikanth starrer bilingual ‘Robot 2/2.0’ might just turn out to be the perfect launch pad for him into the world of Southern cinema.
