The statement by Mahesh Babu that Bollywood cannot afford him has sparked heated controversy. Ram Gopal Varma and Mukesh Bhatt have reacted to it even after he issued an explanation.
Actor Mahesh Babu recently made a contentious statement about his participation in Hindi films, and filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has replied. When asked about his involvement in a Bollywood film, the actor said that the industry cannot pay him. Varma says that the actor's films made all of their money after being dubbed in Hindi and distributed, according to a report by Hindustan Times.
Babu then gave a clarification on his comments. During a recent conversation with the Telugu media, Mahesh stated that he does not need to work in Hindi films and prefers to work exclusively in Telugu films.
Varma responded to India Today's assertion that Bollywood cannot afford Babu by saying, "As an actor, it is his decision. But I had no idea what he meant when he said Bollywood couldn't afford him. I'm still not sure what he meant by that, since if you look at recent South Indian films, they were dubbed and distributed, and they made whatever money they did.”
He said, "First and foremost, Bollywood is not a corporation. It's a term imposed by the media. I don't get how he can generalise Bollywood when an individual film business or production firm may ask you to do a film at a certain fee. Because Bollywood is not a firm, his meaning is unclear.”
When asked if he would work in Hindi films, Babu replied that Bollywood couldn't pay him. However, he later clarified in a media interview, saying, "I don't need to make Hindi films. I can just make a Telugu film and it will be viewed all over the world - and that is exactly what is happening right now. You’d want to be in a position to do a Telugu film"
Babu is a well-known Telugu cinema actor who has appeared in films such as ‘Businessman’, ‘Bharat Ane Nenu’, ‘Srimanthudu’, ‘Maharshi’, and ‘Sarileru Neekevvaru’.