Pan-Indian film
{{Short description|Term related to Indian cinema}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2023}}
{{Infobox Film Movement
|name=Pan-Indian film
|yearsactive=2015–present
|country=India
|majorfigures=S. S. Rajamouli
Prashanth Neel
|influenced=Cinema of India
|image=India film clapperboard (variant).svg}}
Pan-Indian film is a term related to Indian cinema that originated with Telugu cinema as a mainstream commercial cinema appealing to audiences across the country with a spread to world markets.{{Cite web |date=3 August 2022 |title=The secret of the pan-Indian success of films from the south: Balancing the local and universal |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/the-secret-of-the-pan-indian-success-of-films-from-the-south-8068662/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220807155150/https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/the-secret-of-the-pan-indian-success-of-films-from-the-south-8068662/ |archive-date=7 August 2022 |access-date=7 August 2022 |website=The Indian Express}}{{Cite news |last=Mehrotra |first=Suchin |date=19 September 2019 |title=What Does It Take To Make A Pan-India Movie? |url=https://www.filmcompanion.in/features/what-does-it-take-to-make-a-pan-india-movie |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207203900/https://www.filmcompanion.in/features/what-does-it-take-to-make-a-pan-india-movie |archive-date=7 February 2023 |access-date=17 August 2023 |work=Film Companion}}
S. S. Rajamouli pioneered the pan-Indian film movement with his duology of epic action films, Baahubali: The Beginning (2015) and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (2017).{{Cite web |last=Jain |first=Gautam |date=26 June 2022 |title="The original Pan India filmmaker" |url=https://www.ormaxmedia.com/insights/stories/the-original-pan-india-filmmaker.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220523195352/https://www.ormaxmedia.com/insights/stories/the-original-pan-india-filmmaker.html |archive-date=23 May 2022 |access-date=10 March 2024 |website=Ormax Media}} These films marked a significant shift in the Indian film industry, redefining its demographic reach and appeal.{{Cite web |last=Bamzai |first=Kaveree |date=1 April 2022 |title=Cinema's Biggest Mythmaker |url=https://openthemagazine.com/cover-stories/ss-rajamouli-cinemas-biggest-mythmaker/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220626102823/https://openthemagazine.com/cover-stories/ss-rajamouli-cinemas-biggest-mythmaker/ |archive-date=26 June 2022 |access-date=10 March 2024 |website=Open}}{{Cite web |date=March 30, 2022 |title=Inside the mind of SS Rajamouli: Decoding how the RRR director lends scale to his storytelling |url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/inside-the-mind-of-ss-rajamouli-decoding-how-the-rrr-director-lends-scale-to-his-storytelling-10501081.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220818144603/https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/inside-the-mind-of-ss-rajamouli-decoding-how-the-rrr-director-lends-scale-to-his-storytelling-10501081.html |archive-date=18 August 2022 |access-date=1 July 2022 |website=Firstpost}}
A pan-Indian film is typically marketed and released in multiple languages across India, including Telugu, Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam, and other regional languages.{{Cite web |date=17 April 2021 |title='Pan-India' films make a comeback |url=https://telanganatoday.com/pan-india-films-make-a-comeback |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827060331/https://telanganatoday.com/pan-india-films-make-a-comeback |archive-date=27 August 2021 |access-date=27 August 2021 |website=Telangana Today}} Such films aim to transcend linguistic, demographic, social, regional, ethnic and cultural barriers, seeking to resonate with a wide audience.{{Cite news |last1=Hrishikesh |first1=Sharanya |last2=Sebastian |first2=Meryl |date=20 April 2022 |title=KGF 2, RRR, Pushpa: The southern Indian films winning on Bollywood's turf |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-61118482 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220422210932/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-61118482 |archive-date=22 April 2022 |access-date=22 April 2022 |work=BBC News}}
History
Indian cinema is composed of various language film industries. Films are often remade in other languages, examples being Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana (2005, Telugu), Chachi 420 (1997, Hindi) and Anuraga Aralithu (1986).{{Cite web |title=Not Rajinikanth or Amitabh Bachchan, Rajkumar's film was first to be remade in 6 languages in India |url=https://newsable.asianetnews.com/entertainment/not-rajinikanth-or-amitabh-bachchan-rajkumar-s-film-was-first-to-be-remade-in-6-languages-in-india-q9ykmn |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128032439/https://newsable.asianetnews.com/amp/entertainment/not-rajinikanth-or-amitabh-bachchan-rajkumar-s-film-was-first-to-be-remade-in-6-languages-in-india-q9ykmn |archive-date=28 November 2020 |access-date=11 May 2020}}{{Cite web |date=10 June 2020 |title=From 'Anuraga Aralithu' to 'U Turn': Kannada movies that were remade in foreign languages |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/from-anuraga-aralithu-to-u-turn-kannada-movies-that-were-remade-in-foreign-languages/etphotostory/76302041.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240424054346/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/from-anuraga-aralithu-to-u-turn-kannada-movies-that-were-remade-in-foreign-languages/etphotostory/76302041.cms |archive-date=24 April 2024 |access-date=31 October 2020 |website=The Times of India}} Films are also dubbed into other languages and released with localised titles either on the same release date or at a later date. Films such as Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and Enthiran, were dubbed in other Indian languages and were released along with their original versions.{{Cite web |date=10 October 2020 |title='Enthiran' rewrote South's place in Indian cinema |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/enthiran-rewrote-south-s-place-in-indian-cinema-899877.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220422041107/https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/enthiran-rewrote-south-s-place-in-indian-cinema-899877.html |archive-date=22 April 2022 |access-date=22 April 2022 |website=Deccan Herald}}
According to The Times of India, the first pan-Indian film from Kannada cinema is Mahishasura Mardini released in 1959.{{Cite web |date=3 February 2021 |title=Did you know? The very first pan-Indian Kannada film is this 1959 classic starring Dr. Rajkumar |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/did-you-know/did-you-know-the-very-first-pan-indian-kannada-film-is-this-1959-classic-starring-dr-rajkumar/articleshow/80664470.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211216135025/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/did-you-know/did-you-know-the-very-first-pan-indian-kannada-film-is-this-1959-classic-starring-dr-rajkumar/articleshow/80664470.cms |archive-date=16 December 2021 |access-date=16 December 2021 |website=The Times of India}} It was dubbed and released in seven other languages but since then no other film was released in more than five languages.
Indian Cinema industries often remake each others works, Between 2000 and 2019, one in every three successful films made in Hindi was either a remake or part of a series. And most of the star actors, have starred in the hit remakes of South Indian films.{{Cite news |date=18 February 2023 |title=Bollywood's Telugu takeover: 'Shehzada' to 'Jersey', remakes of hit South films |newspaper=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movies/news/bollywoods-telugu-takeover-shehzada-to-jersey-remakes-of-hit-south-films/photostory/98038983.cms |access-date=10 March 2024 |archive-date=10 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240310074714/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movies/news/bollywoods-telugu-takeover-shehzada-to-jersey-remakes-of-hit-south-films/photostory/98038983.cms |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |date=14 October 2022 |title=Vikram Vedha, Drishyam 2: Is Bollywood's reign of remakes coming to an end? |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-63169148 |access-date=10 March 2024 |archive-date=10 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240310074714/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-63169148 |url-status=live }} Since 2010s, dubbing and telecasting of South Indian films (primarily Telugu and Tamil) in Hindi became a regular practice by which films from Telugu cinema and Tamil cinema gained popularity in the Hindi speaking regions.{{Cite web |last=Shrikrishna |first=Aditya |date=15 May 2022 |title=Understanding the new 'pan-Indian' film |url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/arts-and-culture/cinema/understanding-the-new-pan-indian-film-rrr-pushpa-baahubali-kgf-the-kashmir-files/article65428933.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220729162123/https://frontline.thehindu.com/arts-and-culture/cinema/understanding-the-new-pan-indian-film-rrr-pushpa-baahubali-kgf-the-kashmir-files/article65428933.ece |archive-date=29 July 2022 |access-date=29 July 2022 |website=Frontline |language=en}} Majority of these films were dubbed after few weeks or months of the original version release.{{Cite web |title=Top 30 South Indian Movies Dubbed in Hindi |url=http://filmtimes.in/news/best-of-entertainment/top-30-south-indian-movies-dubbed-in-hindi/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624202627/http://filmtimes.in/news/best-of-entertainment/top-30-south-indian-movies-dubbed-in-hindi/ |archive-date=24 June 2021 |access-date=21 June 2021 |website=FilmTimes}} Similarly, Hindi films were frequently dubbed in Telugu and Tamil languages, but didn't gain as much popularity in Telugu and Tamil speaking regions as Telugu/Tamil films received, except a few like Dangal (2016), M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story (2016).{{Cite web |date=25 September 2016 |title=MS Dhoni biopic to release in 4,500 screens across 60 countries |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/ms-dhoni-biopic-to-release-in-4500-screens-across-60-countries-3049379/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211216141441/https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/ms-dhoni-biopic-to-release-in-4500-screens-across-60-countries-3049379/ |archive-date=16 December 2021 |access-date=16 December 2021 |website=The Indian Express}}
Growth
{{Quote box
| quote = "A pan-Indian film does not mean that actors from different languages come together. That's all part of it. A pan-Indian film means a story and emotion that connects to everyone irrespective of the language. While creating a story, I think 'If I switch off this dialogue portion, will the audience still connect to my movie?' Many times, the answer is a yes."
| source = — S. S. Rajamouli, the director of Baahubali duology and RRR{{Cite web |title=When pan India movies, stars and shows ruled |url=https://www.thehansindia.com/cinema/when-pan-india-movies-stars-and-shows-ruled-722677 |access-date=14 May 2022 |work=The Hans India |date=January 2022 |archive-date=1 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220101180233/https://www.thehansindia.com/cinema/when-pan-india-movies-stars-and-shows-ruled-722677 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Inside the mind of SS Rajamouli: Decoding how the RRR director lends scale to his storytelling |url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/inside-the-mind-of-ss-rajamouli-decoding-how-the-rrr-director-lends-scale-to-his-storytelling-10501081.html |access-date=1 July 2022 |work=Firstpost |date=30 March 2022 |archive-date=18 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220818144603/https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/inside-the-mind-of-ss-rajamouli-decoding-how-the-rrr-director-lends-scale-to-his-storytelling-10501081.html |url-status=live }}
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}}S. S. Rajamouli's duology of epic action films, Baahubali: The Beginning (2015) and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (2017), became huge critical and commercial successes. Baahubali 2 became the highest grossing Indian film of all time.{{Cite web |date=12 April 2018 |title=How Baahubali changed the face of Telugu cinema worldwide |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/baahubali-telugu-cinema-abroad-1210757-2018-04-12 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624203217/https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/baahubali-telugu-cinema-abroad-1210757-2018-04-12 |archive-date=24 June 2021 |access-date=21 June 2021 |website=India Today}} The film was released in various languages worldwide. This success led to a new trend in filmmaking, where rather than remaking the same film in multiple languages, filmmakers began dubbing the same film and releasing it simultaneously on a national level.{{Cite web |last1=Kumar |first1=Manoj |last2=Kumar |first2=Gabbeta Ranjith |date=11 July 2020 |title=Baahubali turns 5: How SS Rajamouli's film changed Indian cinema forever |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/telugu/baahubali-ss-rajamouli-changed-indian-cinema-forever-6498173/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017184956/https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/telugu/baahubali-ss-rajamouli-changed-indian-cinema-forever-6498173/ |archive-date=17 October 2021 |access-date=17 October 2021 |website=The Indian Express}} Srivatsan S of The Hindu noted that Telugu cinema excelled in marketing pan-Indian films, primarily using two strategies: promoting films outside their home territory and collaborating with regional stars for increased visibility.{{Cite news |last=S |first=Srivatsan |date=7 January 2022 |title=The 'pan-Indian' strategy of Telugu cinema |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/the-pan-indian-strategy-of-telugu-cinema/article38163523.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220110140529/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/the-pan-indian-strategy-of-telugu-cinema/article38163523.ece |archive-date=10 January 2022 |access-date=10 January 2022 |work=The Hindu}}
Kannada film KGF: Chapter 1 (2018) directed by Prashanth Neel also released in five languages, thereby becoming the first major Pan-Indian film from Kannada cinema.{{Cite web |last=Hooli |first=Shekhar H. |date=21 December 2018 |title=KGF movie review: This is what Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam audience say about Yash starrer |url=https://www.ibtimes.co.in/kgf-chapter-1-movie-review-rating-by-non-kannada-viewers-live-updates-788451 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211113142326/https://www.ibtimes.co.in/kgf-chapter-1-movie-review-rating-by-non-kannada-viewers-live-updates-788451 |archive-date=13 November 2021 |access-date=21 June 2021 |website=ibtimes.co.in}}{{Cite news |title=KGF to be amultilingual, will release in five languages |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/kgf-to-be-amultilingual-will-release-in-five-languages/articleshow/60257321.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210626150038/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/kgf-to-be-amultilingual-will-release-in-five-languages/articleshow/60257321.cms |archive-date=26 June 2021 |access-date=21 June 2021 |website=The Times of India|date=29 August 2017 }} Success of other films like 2.0 (2018), Saaho (2019), Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy (2019) made Pan-Indian films widespread to other major Indian film industries.{{Cite news |last=Nanisetti |first=Serish |date=2 October 2019 |title=Chiranjeevi's 'Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy' hits screens amid noisy welcome by fans |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/chirus-movie-hits-screens-amid-noisy-welcome-by-fans/article29577285.ece |url-status=live |access-date=21 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210108144222/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/chirus-movie-hits-screens-amid-noisy-welcome-by-fans/article29577285.ece |archive-date=8 January 2021}}{{Cite web |title=2.0 All India Update – Crosses 400 Crore NETT |url=https://www.boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=4533 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225173636/https://www.boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=4533 |archive-date=25 December 2018 |access-date=21 June 2021 |website=Box Office India}} Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea (2021) is the first major Pan-Indian film from Malayalam cinema.{{Cite web |title=To be history, the Maraikas; Released in more than 50 countries : Cinema News |url=https://www.deepika.com/cinema/CinemaNews.aspx?Marakkar_film_release&ID=4343 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624203837/https://www.deepika.com/cinema/CinemaNews.aspx?Marakkar_film_release&ID=4343 |archive-date=24 June 2021 |access-date=21 June 2021 |website=deepika.com}}
Following the success of the Telugu films Pushpa: The Rise (2021) and RRR (2022), Rahul Devulapalli of The Week identified "Content, marketing, [and] indulgent overseas audience" have led to the rise of pan-Indian films from Telugu cinema.{{Cite web |date=5 June 2022 |title=Here's Telugu cinema's formula for pan-India success |url=https://www.theweek.in/theweek/leisure/2022/05/27/Heres-telugu-cinemas-formula-for-pan-india-success.html |website=The Week |access-date=1 June 2022 |archive-date=1 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220601061731/https://www.theweek.in/theweek/leisure/2022/05/27/Heres-telugu-cinemas-formula-for-pan-india-success.html |url-status=live }}
Actors like Prabhas, Yash, Allu Arjun, Ram Charan and N. T. Rama Rao Jr. enjoyed nationwide popularity among the audiences after the release of their respective Pan-Indian films. Film critics, journalists and analysts, such as Baradwaj Rangan and Vishal Menon, have labelled Prabhas as the "First legit Pan-Indian Superstar". India Today states Prabhas as "a flagbearer of introducing the trend of Pan India films in the nation".
Pan-Indian films also employ actors from different language industry to increase their visibility and bring a universal appeal.{{Cite web |last=Pecheti |first=Prakash |date=17 June 2021 |title=New mantra for pan-India stories |url=https://telanganatoday.com/new-mantra-for-pan-india-stories |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210829070421/https://telanganatoday.com/new-mantra-for-pan-india-stories |archive-date=29 August 2021 |access-date=29 August 2021 |website=Telangana Today}}{{Cite news |date=31 December 2021 |title=Allu Arjun, Tovino Thomas, Fahadh Faasil added southern spice to Indian cinematic fare in 2021 |work=The Economic Times |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/allu-arjun-tovino-thomas-fahadh-faasil-dhanush-added-southern-spice-to-indian-cinematic-fare-in-2021/articleshow/88604867.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220110072758/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/allu-arjun-tovino-thomas-fahadh-faasil-dhanush-added-southern-spice-to-indian-cinematic-fare-in-2021/articleshow/88604867.cms |archive-date=10 January 2022}} In an interview with Film Companion, filmmaker Karan Johar said: "Pan-India is a phenomenon we cannot diminish or dilute."{{Cite web |date=16 January 2022 |title=Allu Arjun's Pushpa shows Telugu films have pan-India audience. Step aside, Bollywood |url=https://theprint.in/features/reel-take/allu-arjuns-pushpa-shows-telugu-films-have-pan-india-audience-step-aside-bollywood/804794/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220208185115/https://theprint.in/features/reel-take/allu-arjuns-pushpa-shows-telugu-films-have-pan-india-audience-step-aside-bollywood/804794/ |archive-date=8 February 2022 |access-date=8 February 2022 |website=ThePrint}}
== Notable films considered to be pan-Indian ==
Criticism and discourse
Several actors, filmmakers and critics have criticised the usage of the term "Pan Indian". In an interview with Deadline Hollywood, actor N. T. Rama Rao Jr said, "I hate referring to it as 'pan-Indian', it sounds like a frying pan. We just mean it is a film that can travel into all the Indian languages".{{Cite web |last=Grater |first=Tom |date=12 May 2021 |title='RRR' Star Jr NTR Gives First Interview About Mega-Budget Action Pic From 'Baahubali' Director S.S. Rajamouli |url=https://deadline.com/2021/05/rrr-star-jr-ntr-first-interview-about-mega-budget-action-pic-baahubali-director-s-s-rajamouli-1234753853/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211027100106/https://deadline.com/2021/05/rrr-star-jr-ntr-first-interview-about-mega-budget-action-pic-baahubali-director-s-s-rajamouli-1234753853/ |archive-date=27 October 2021 |access-date=29 August 2021 |website=Deadline Hollywood}} Speaking with PTI, Dulquer Salmaan said: "The word pan-India really irks me. I just don't like hearing it. I love that there is so much exchange of talent happening in cinema, it's great, but we are one country. I don't think anyone says pan-America."{{Cite news |date=19 March 2022 |title=Dulquer Salmaan: You can't engineer a pan-India film |work=The Times of India |agency=PTI |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/dulquer-salmaan-you-cant-engineer-a-pan-india-film/articleshow/90322592.cms |url-status=live |access-date=12 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220412060624/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/dulquer-salmaan-you-cant-engineer-a-pan-india-film/articleshow/90322592.cms |archive-date=12 April 2022}} Kamal Haasan felt the concept of Pan-Indian cinema always existed, and criticised the term as a new "coinage".{{Cite web |date=May 26, 2022 |title='Nothing new, always been there': Kamal Haasan on 'pan Indian cinema' phenomenon |url=https://www.theweek.in/news/entertainment/2022/05/26/nothing-new-always-been-there-kamal-haasan-pan-indian-cinema-phenomenon.html |access-date=2024-09-09 |website=The Week |language=en |agency=PTI |archive-date=9 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240909114021/https://www.theweek.in/news/entertainment/2022/05/26/nothing-new-always-been-there-kamal-haasan-pan-indian-cinema-phenomenon.html |url-status=live }}
Prabhas, who played the protagonist of Baahubali series, opined that the industry should make "Indian" films instead of "pan-Indian" films.{{Cite web |last=Rajaraman |first=Kaushik |date=7 March 2022 |title=How about making Indian films rather than pan-Indian ones? |url=https://www.dtnext.in/News/Cinema/2022/03/07074746/1356846/How-about-making-Indian-films-rather-than-panIndian-.vpf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220326044948/https://www.dtnext.in/News/Cinema/2022/03/07074746/1356846/How-about-making-Indian-films-rather-than-panIndian-.vpf |archive-date=26 March 2022 |access-date=12 April 2022 |website=DT Next}} Actor Siddharth echoed the same. He felt the term pan-Indian was a "very disrespectful word" as its use was limited to non-Hindi films.{{Cite web |date=1 May 2022 |title=Drop use of 'pan Indian,' just call it an Indian film: Actor Siddharth |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/drop-use-pan-indian-just-call-it-indian-film-actor-siddharth-163458 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220501134506/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/drop-use-pan-indian-just-call-it-indian-film-actor-siddharth-163458 |archive-date=1 May 2022 |access-date=1 May 2022 |website=The News Minute}} Writer-actor Adivi Sesh felt that "the word is somewhat abused," and used like a euphemism for dubbed film.{{Cite web |date=2 June 2022 |title=Major actor Adivi Sesh on pan-India movies: The word is somewhat abused, sounds like an euphemism for dubbed film |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/telugu/major-actor-sesh-adivi-on-pan-india-movies-7945709/ |website=The Indian Express |access-date=4 June 2022 |archive-date=4 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220604133219/https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/telugu/major-actor-sesh-adivi-on-pan-india-movies-7945709/ |url-status=live }}
Bharti Dubey and Hemachandra Ethamukkala of The Times of India stated that the pan-Indian films have mostly been action films and criticised the perceived violence in such films.{{Cite web |date=23 April 2022 |title=#BigStory: Are pan-India films promoting too much violence? |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/kgf-rrr-pushpa-are-pan-india-films-promoting-too-much-violence-bigstory/articleshow/91005138.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220423134028/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/kgf-rrr-pushpa-are-pan-india-films-promoting-too-much-violence-bigstory/articleshow/91005138.cms |archive-date=23 April 2022 |access-date=23 April 2022 |website=The Times of India}} Writing for The Swaddle, Rohitha Naraharisetty feels pan-Indian films glorify toxic masculinity and the "angry young man" archetype, while suffering from underdeveloped and heavily objectified female characters.{{Cite web |last=Naraharisetty |first=Rohitha |date=21 July 2022 |title=How the 'Pan-India' Movie Phenomenon Embodies -- And Redefines -- Toxic Masculinity |url=https://theswaddle.com/how-the-pan-india-movie-phenomenon-embodies-and-redefines-toxic-masculinity/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220727060122/https://theswaddle.com/how-the-pan-india-movie-phenomenon-embodies-and-redefines-toxic-masculinity/ |archive-date=27 July 2022 |access-date=18 August 2022 |website=The Swaddle}}