Manoj Bajpayee has shared his views over the ongoing burning debate of North v South cinema, and stated that the division of film on the basis of states is unfair. SS Rajamouli's RRR, Allu Arjun's Pushpa The Rise Part One, and Yash's KGF Chapter 2 have taken the Indian box office by storm. Since then, the debate of South overpowering Hindi has become a burning issue to discuss. The recent failures of Bollywood biggies like Bachchhan Paandey, Runway 34, Dhaakad, and Shamshera have added more fuel to the fire.
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Now, The Gangs of Wasseypur star has opened up on the infamous debate. He stated that if regional cinema is doing well, then as an audience, we should celebrate it in the same manner as we do for a Hindi film. While speaking to ETimes, Manoj said, "It has never been north or south. For me, India is from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and not from Kashmir to Delhi. That’s how I see India. If Telugu films do well, I will be just as proud as when a Hindi movie does well. Dividing cinema into regions is not fair. It is good that this discussion has started because we now conclude that cinema belongs to everyone in India."
Bajpayee further explained his thoughts by asserting the mega-success of his series The Family Man 2, which also starred Samantha Ruth Prabhu. "Whenever I have chosen a film, I have always thought that my audience is everywhere. I felt very fortunate when The Family Man found its audience in all parts of the country. People who speak different languages watched Family Man, and they liked it. And this is how it should be. Cinema does not belong to one region. Cinema belongs to everyone." Manoj will next be seen in The Family Man 3, Gulmohar, and Despatch.