Another Bollywood Film, Another South Villain?

Already, we have seen how a big star like Jr NTR, who commands the box office just like that, has played a negative role in WAR 2. The end result is only criticism and brickbats, but nothing else. Now, the villain of Jawan 2 is already creating more noise than the film itself. After Shah Rukh Khan locked the sequel, the next big question was obvious. Who’s the face opposite him this time? Because in Jawan, Vijay Sethupathi’s Kaali worked. Not just as a villain, but as a presence. Now the makers are hinting at something bigger. A big Superstar from the South.

Names like Ajith Kumar are doing strong rounds again. His name was in discussion even during the first part. While his Screen presence, mass image, and a certain unpredictability are terrific, surely fans hope that Ajith will not be taking up this job. Then you have options like Suriya, Vikram, and Karthi. All are strong performers. All with different shades can bring to a role like this. R. Madhavan is also in the conversation after his recent negative turn, but a full-scale mass villain opposite SRK is a different space altogether. There’s even talk around Kamal Haasan. But after Kalki 2898 AD, that choice may not feel as fresh or surprising.

Why would an A-list South star take up a full-fledged villain role in someone else’s film? At a time when their careers are absolutely good, why should they turn a villain for a fading senior star like Shah Rukh Khan is the question. Today, most of these actors are leading their own pan-India projects. Their market is strong. Their positioning is clear. Playing second fiddle, even in a big SRK film, doesn’t automatically make sense. It’s better not to take up such assignments, at least, after looking at what happened to Jr NTR with WAR 2.