‘Obnoxious’ Telugu producer clashes with Boney Kapoor; Bollywood vs South battle heats up

A debate unfolded between producers Boney Kapoor and Naga Vamsi during a roundtable discussion hosted by Galatta Plus. The two producers shared contrasting views on the impact of South Indian cinema on Bollywood. Veteran movie critic Baradwaj Rangan hosted the discussion.

During the discussion, Bollywood veteran Boney Kapoor highlights the unique overseas markets for South Indian films. Telugu films perform well in the US while Tamil films are popular in Singapore and Malaysia, he says.

According to Kapoor, the Gulf region is a cosmopolitan hub for cinema. Naga Vamsi points out that Malayalam films have a significant market in the Gulf.

Vamsi then asserts that South Indian cinema has redefined Bollywood’s approach to filmmaking, speaking about the success of Baahubali, RRR, Pushpa and KGF. The Lucky Baskhar producer says that Bollywood was previously focused on audiences in “Bandra and Juhu” until South Indian films introduced a broader vision.

Boney Kapoor disagrees. He says that cinema across India has always been influential. He references classic Bollywood hits like Hum Aapke Hain Koun, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and Gadar, arguing that the success of Telugu films does not diminish Bollywood’s legacy.

Kapoor also adds that the essence of cinema lies in storytelling, not language barriers, and that what resonates with audiences is determined by quality, not regional identity.

The debate escalates when Naga Vamsi interruptes Boney, suggesting that Telugu filmmakers have heavily influenced Bollywood. Boney counters by noting that even South Indian actors like Allu Arjun have openly expressed admiration for Bollywood icons like Amitabh Bachchan.

Sanjay Gupta’s reaction

The heated exchange drew attention online, with Bollywood director Sanjay Gupta criticising Naga Vamsi’s tone and body language. Gupta has referred to him as “obnoxious” and dismissed the claim that a few blockbuster hits could overshadow Bollywood’s legacy.

“Who is this obnoxious guy sitting next to a senior producer like Boney Ji and deriding him with his fake vanity? Look at his body language and disgusting attitude,” wrote the director of successful Bollywood movies like Kaante, Shootout at Wadala and Kaabil.

“4/5 hits dene se yeh Bollywood ke baap nahin bane na banienge (Having 4-5 hits doesn’t make them the boss of Bollywood, nor will it ever),” Gupta added.