Women’s Perspective Shouldn’t Disappear, Says M. S. Raju

“I don’t think it is a do-or-die situation,” says Raju, citing classics like Devi, Ammorru, Arundhati, and Pratighatana, which emerged as major box-office successes. “Good content will always strike a chord. As Alfred Hitchcock said, script occupies the top three places in winning audience appreciation—nothing else matters,” he adds.However, recent solo-led films by younger actresses have struggled to draw crowds. Projects featuring Anupama Parameswaran (Paradha), Tamannaah Bhatia (Odela 2), Kajal Aggarwal (Satyabhama), Anjali (Geethanjali Malli Vachindi), and Keerthy Suresh (Revolver Rita) failed to generate even minimum openings. Even Anushka Shetty could not pull strong openings for her recent release Ghaati.Raju admits that the audience mindset plays a role. “Telugu audiences can be a bit male-chauvinistic, but that doesn’t mean we should stop making women-led films. Some stories require male leads, while others need a heroine at the centre. Otherwise, women’s perspectives will disappear—and that shouldn’t happen,” he explains.On OTT platforms showing limited interest in acquiring female-driven films, Raju maintains that theatrical success remains key. “Release in theatres and deliver a hit—then platforms will automatically come forward,” he notes.He also highlights a persistent disparity: “Audiences celebrate male stars in larger-than-life roles but don’t extend the same enthusiasm to women who headline films. It’s unfortunate, but it’s the reality.”Another producer echoes similar concerns, pointing out that only a few actresses have consistently succeeded with women-centric films. “Anushka Shetty and Samantha delivered some hits, but most actresses eventually returned to conventional roles opposite male stars. Taking up author-backed roles has been risky,” he says.He adds that audience preferences often favour glamorous roles alongside male superstars, which helps build fan bases. “But when these actresses attempt to carry films on their own, the support fades. This disparity has slowed their progress in carving out an independent space,” he observes.Now, the spotlight is firmly on Samantha to break the jinx. “I hope actresses like her change the game for their peers—much like Shraddha Kapoor did in Bollywood with the blockbuster Stree 2,” he concludes.



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