Sai Pallavi, known for her expressive performances and dedication to authenticity, recently offered an inside look at the differences she’s experienced between Bollywood and South Indian cinema. As her latest film, Amaran continues to succeed at the box office, Pallavi shared her thoughts on how these two major film industries contrast in their approaches to creativity and work culture. Here’s what she revealed about the opportunities for improvisation, the role of assistant directors, and more.
Freedom to Improvise: A Key Difference
Speaking about the experience of working in Bollywood and the South, Sai Pallavi says, “I feel that since the South Indian film industry is liberal, there‘s a bit of freedom to do things spontaneously, which brings about moment–to–moment spontaneous changes and it allows an actor to bring something to each scene.“. “There is a lot of work that goes into pre-production,” she said, “but down South there‘s a little more room to improvise–it‘s less restrictive.” This one finds less restricting in the approach of the South because of allows dynamic actors whose scenes become adaptable while shooting. This is what makes for a lively, collaborating atmosphere.
Compared with what she experienced in Bollywood, she termed the situation more organized. “In Bollywood sometimes I feel everything is perfect–every detail planned, every fraction polished,” she said. “If I want to improvise a lot of things need to change, which I find a bit limiting.” Although this system has its benefits, the flexibility of South Indian industries provides a creative, on-the-spot atmosphere that better accords with her act.
Assistant Director Roles
Pallavi drew an interesting comparison between how assistant directors are handled in the two industries. She said that in Bollywood, ADs get a good salary and job security which enables them to tie in for long periods and return for subsequent films. This is what Pallavi feels makes the production process in Bollywood stronger: “Teams become closer knit and more experienced as time passes”.
“We have a lot of assistant directors still in the South who don‘t get paid as much as they do in Bollywood, though they work very hard,” Pallavi explained. “It‘s heartbreaking to see talented people not being paid for their talent.” She pointed out how this often means that many such skillful ADs in the South are always changing projects rather than staying with a team that knows them inside and out, affecting continuity and the production environment at large.
A Growing Presence in Bollywood
Sai Pallavi is set to make waves in Bollywood with her upcoming role in Ramayana, directed by Nitesh Tiwari, where she’ll share the screen with Ranbir Kapoor. This ambitious two-part project is scheduled for release in 2026 and 2027, and fans are eagerly awaiting Pallavi’s Bollywood debut in such a high-profile film.
As she continues to make her mark in both industries, Sai Pallavi’s reflections highlight the distinctive cultures that shape Bollywood and South Indian cinema. Her comments serve as a reminder of the importance of fair compensation and creative freedom across all film industries, emphasizing that both actors and crew members deserve recognition for their hard work.
Source: Pinkvilla
