Fans unhappy with Tollywood Stars turning villians. Of late, people are witnessing Tollywood stars turning villains thanks to the growing pan India craze and the North-South combinations.
The latest to join the bandwagon is NTR who will be seen in the role of an antagonist in Hrithik Roshan's War 2 directed by Ayan Mukherjee. Earlier Nagarjuna played the role of a baddie in Dhanush's bilingual entertainer Kuberaa. He is once again turning baddie in Rajinikanth's Coolie under the direction of Lokesh Kanagaraj.
In the midst of all this, reports are coming that fans are unhappy with their heroes turning into villains. “There is no other industry with hero worship like Telugu cinema,” notes producer Lagadapati Sridhar. “NTR has a massive following, and some disappointment was expected. But fans are jumping the gun. They should wait for the film’s release. If Bollywood trusted NTR to take on Hrithik Roshan in a spy franchise, that alone speaks volumes about his stature and acting prowess.”
He adds “After films like Pushpa and KGF, audiences now celebrate morally complex characters. Playing a dark or grey role doesn’t make a hero any less impactful. It’s the character that matters now.”
Akkineni fans expressed their anger after watching Nagarjuna's role in Dhanush's Kuberaa. However, Lagadapati Sridhar says “This is a new avatar for Nagarjuna. It breaks the monotony of his lover-boy image. Taking on a superstar like Rajinikanth is no small feat. Nagarjuna already proved his versatility in Kubera, and Coolie is another bold step.”
He spoke about Kamal Haasan's role in Prabhas' Kalki 2898AD directed by Nag Ashwin and said “Kamal’s fans understood that it was a fantasy world, and his villainous role was just another layer to his ever-evolving screen persona. Telugu fans should take a similar approach.”
He continued "In this new cinematic era, where lines between hero and villain blur, it seems the audience too must evolve —embracing the actor beyond their legacy and looking at the role itself"