Telugu movie buffs are suggesting that Tamil cinema has been trailing Telugu cinema's trends since Baahubali. Critics point to pairings like Baahubali and Thalapathy Vijay's Puli, Baahubali 2 and the Ponniyin Selvan series, Arjun Reddy and a sudden rise in alpha male characters, and now, Jr NTR's God of War alongside Dhanush's Thamizh Murugan. At first glance, the pattern looks real. On a deeper look, the theory completely falls apart.
The comparison between Baahubali and Ponniyin Selvan ignores historical reality. Mani Ratnam aspired to adapt the classic novel years before Baahubali arrived. He openly noted that Rajamouli's success did not inspire the story, but it gave the industry the confidence to release a large-scale project in two parts. The budget was finally feasible because a market for duologies had been proven.
Similarly, Dhanush's Thamizh Murugan is not a knee-jerk reaction to God of War. While both films tap into grand mythological roots, Vetri Maaran usually brings a distinct flavor to their projects. The narrative beats, the underlying themes, and the grounded storytelling styles are bound to be completely different from Trivikram's movie.
As for the rise of the aggressive alpha male, this is hardly a new concept imported from Arjun Reddy. Tamil cinema has a decades-long history of gritty, ruffian-looking protagonists. The raw heroes of rural Madurai dramas existed long before the modern wave. Arjun Reddy's urban aesthetic and stylized treatment have influenced Kollywood, though. After all, it was a trend-setting movie.
