South Indian actors who made an indelible mark in Bollywood, just like Jr NTR in War 2!

War 2 finally hit the theatres. Telugu star Jr NTR's big Bollywood debut is one of the most exciting aspects of this movie. Let's look at other South actors who made a splash in Hindi cinema.

Still of Jr NTR from War 2

The much-awaited moment has arrived as War 2 finally hit the theatres on August 14. One of the biggest highlights of the movie is Telugu actor Jr NTR's big debut in Bollywood. Fans are going gaga over Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR's fiery clash on screen. However, NTR is not the first south actor to cross over to Hindi cinema. Let's take a look at other South Indian actors who have successfully made their mark in Hindi cinema.

South Indian actors in Bollywood

Rajinikanth

Thalaivar is one of the most influential and bankable movie stars in Indian cinema, with numerous Hindi movies in his list. Rajinikanth enjoys massive popularity, thanks to his unique style of performance and dialogue delivery. With Andhaa Kaanoon (1983), the Tamil superstar made his Bollywood debut. He went on to work in almost 19 Hindi movies, including John Jani Janardhan (1984) and Hum (1991). Even his collaboration with Sridevi in Chaalbaaz (1989) still got that hype.

Nagarjuna Akkineni

Another veteran South star who has acted in over ten Hindi movies. He made his debut in Shiva (1990), followed by movies such as Amitabh Bachchan's Khuda Gawah (1992), Drohi (1992), Criminal (1994), Zakhm (1998), LOC Kargil (2003), among others. He was last seen in Bollywood in a cameo role in Ranbir Kapoor's Brahmāstra in 2022. The Telugu superstar who has appeared in over a hundred movies till date.

J.D. Chakravarthy

Another popular Telugu star who has appeared in three Hindi movies - Shiva (1990), Satya (1998), and Vaastu Shastra (2004). He also directed the Bollywood movie Darwaaza Bandh Rakho (2006). Chakravarthy and Manoj Bajpayee's collaboration in Satya garnered critical acclaim, and the crime thriller was also one of the highest grossing flicks of that year. The Ram Gopal Varma directorial was later dubbed in Telugu.

Kamal Haasan

This Tamil superstar has appeared only in a handful of Hindi movies like Ek Duuje Ke Liye (1981), Sadma (1983), Saagar (1985), and Chachi 420 (1997). Despite the box office success of these movies, Kamal Haasan never returned to Bollywood after that, making each of his Hindi roles a special treat for his fans. His Chachi 420 is the most remembered Bollywood movie, which is a remake of his own Tamil drama Avvai Shanmugi (1996), which itself was an adaptation of Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), starring Robin Williams.

Dhanush

This Tamil superstar has appeared in Hindi movies such as Raanjhanaa (2013) opposite Sonam Kapoor and Atrangi Re (2021), which also starred Sara Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar. He is also known for his role in Amitabh Bachchan’s Shamitabh (2015). Although Dhanush has back-to-back Tamil movies, the 42-year-old actor will be returning to Bollywood with Tere Ishk Mein in November 2025, opposite Kriti Sanon. The interesting part is Dhanush will collaborate with director Aanand L Rai once again after Atrangi Re.

Mohanlal

This Malayalam superstar has appeared in three Hindi movies Company (2002), Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag (2007), and made a cameo appearance in Tezz (2012). In Company, he had a significant role as Srinivasan, and in Aag he played a police officer. However, despite these notable appearances, the veteran actor never returned to Bollywood, and stayed loyal to his Malayalam cinema.

FAQs:

Q. Who is the villain of War 2?

A. While the synopsis suggests Kabir is the antagonist, some speculate that Jr. NTR's character, Vikram, might also have a darker side.

Q. War 2 box office collection Day 1?

A. War 2 has collected Rs 21.42 crore net in India as of 4 pm on Thursday. Comparatively, Coolie has made Rs 35.51 crore net in the same time.

Q. How much did Jr NTR charge for War 2?

A. Reportedly, Jr NTR leads with a fee of Rs 60 crore for his Bollywood debut, while Hrithik Roshan earns Rs 48 crore for reprising his role.

Q. What is the budget of War 2?

A. The overall budget of War 2 is Rs 400 crore.

Share