Prithviraj Sukumaran joins Akshay Kumar’s ‘Bade Miyan Chhote Miyan’

New Delhi: Malayalam star Prithviraj Sukumaran will play the antagonist in Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff-starrer Bade Miyan Chhote Miyan. The film will be directed by Ali Abbas Zafar and produced by Vashu Bhagnani.

Indian movies are set to bring back the big multi-star films that were a hit until the 1980s to draw audiences back to the theatres. With few stars able to pack houses, filmmakers are creating mixed-star cast projects for wider acceptance.

While Shah Rukh Khan will be seen in Jawan, along with Nayanthara and Vijay Sethupathi—both popular Tamil stars—Prabhas’ Salaar will feature Sukumaran as well. And Salman Khan’s Tiger 3 features Emraan Hashmi as the antagonist.

The trend seems to have gained ground post the release of Allu Arjun’s multilingual Pushpa: The Rise- Part One last December, which saw Malayalam star Fahadh Faasil feature along with him. Trade experts say it is easier to secure funding for projects when multiple stars are on board, and each ensures their fan-base contributes to the box office.

The trend of multi-starrers was well-established in Hindi cinema in the 1970s and the ’80s when stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Vinod Khanna, Shashi Kapoor and Shatrughan Sinha would often feature in films together. However, it began to dissipate in the 2000s when most stars felt they didn’t need another big name to justify high budgets and aid box office recovery. Producers agree that mega-budget projects necessitate multiple stars at the moment, the latest example having been thrown up by the Hollywood superhero flick Black Adam, which features several superhero characters. It had made over Rs. 48 crore in India at last count.

Even blockbuster American franchises like Avengers bring multiple stars together, with the last film Endgame, remaining the highest-grossing Hollywood film of all time in India at over Rs. 373 crore.