Prabhas, Allu Arjun, Yash, Jr NTR: South Indian superstars who moved past 'pan-Indian' to become world-renowned names

The pan-India film phenomenon of regional films, especially some South Indian films including Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada, has not only gone global but also turned the actors associated with these projects, once known as regional stars, into global stars.

Let’s take a look at the stars whose audience has grown so much.

Prabhas

When someone talks about an actor with a humongous global reach from Telugu cinema, the name that straightaway pops into fans’ minds is Rebel Star Prabhas. Widely regarded as one of the first true pan-Indian superstars, he gained a huge fanbase thanks to the ‘Baahubali’ series released in 2015 and 2017, which became a global phenomenon. The film had massive earnings worldwide and brought Prabhas a huge fan following in places like China, Japan, and the Middle East.

His larger-than-life appeal has made him a household name internationally.After making a big name for himself in the mid-2020s, Prabhas later delivered blockbusters including ‘Salaar’ and ‘Kalki 2898 AD,’ which became some of the highest-grossing films. Now, his popularity is only expected to soar further, as he will be seen in several more big-budget projects, including ‘Spirit’, ‘Fauzi’, and the second instalments of ‘Salaar’ and ‘Kalki’.

Jr NTR

Jr NTR, a star of South Indian cinema, enjoys international fame with SS Rajamouli’s ‘RRR’ released in 2023. The film won an Oscar for ‘Naatu Naatu’ and broke box office records globally. Additionally, the film earned him widespread acclaim in the US, Europe, and beyond. He's now seen as a global icon with a strong overseas following. His film ‘Devera,’ released after ‘RRR,’ saw fans from the US celebrating him.

Ram Charan

Jr NTR’s co-star Ram Charan also received international stardom with nominations after the huge success of ‘RRR’.

His performances have earned praise in Hollywood circles and overseas markets. Ram Charan has also earned a huge following in the United States, to the extent that a promotional event for his film ‘Game Changer,’ which came after ‘RRR,’ was organized there.

Allu Arjun

Another name coming from Hyderabad is Allu Arjun. The actor has become a global sensation with the action drama franchise, ‘Pushpa,’ helmed by Sukumar. His recent movie ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’ broke records in markets like Japan, the US, Gulf countries, Russia, and more.

Pushpa Raj’s stylish persona, with a commanding performance by Allu Arjun, earned him a massive following. Not only in the cinematic world, but his character also influenced international cricket, as we have seen former Australian cricketer David Warner doing the classic ‘Jhukega Nhi Saala’ pose on the field.

Dhanush

Actors not just from Telugu but also from Tamil films have influenced the international markets. Dhanush made a direct Hollywood debut with ‘The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir’.

Later he also starred in the Netflix film, ‘The Gray Man,’ opposite actors like Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans and Ana de Armas.

Rajinikanth

Tamil superstar Rajinikanth is himself a huge icon and a legendary figure in Indian cinema. Rajinikanth is one of the earliest South Indian actors to gain some international attention, including a Hollywood appearance in ‘Bloodstone’ released in 1988. He also has a massive cult following abroad, especially in Japan and the Middle East.

Yash

Additionally, from the Kannada film industry, Yash recently exploded on the global stage with the ‘KGF’ franchise, which combined made over Rs 1200-1500 crore worldwide. It had a strong performance in markets like North America and the Middle East. His role of "Rocky Bhai" turned him into a pan-India icon and one of the biggest South Indian stars. He will next be seen in the much-anticipated ‘Toxic’.

Rishab Shetty

Similarly, ‘Kantara’ fame Rishab Shetty gained massive critical acclaim and commercial success globally. Made on a modest budget, the first installment went on to make over Rs 400 crore. Meanwhile, ‘Kantara Chapter 1’ made Rs 852.36 crore.