Gopala Gopala Director Defends Divine Films, Criticizes Hollywood Superheroes
Popular director Dolly, known for the socio-fantasy hit Gopala Gopala, believes Hindu gods are seeing a well-deserved resurgence in cinema.
“Despite his stardom, Pawan Kalyan agreed to portray Lord Krishna in Gopala Gopala because he appreciated the cultural refinements we made in the Telugu adaptation,” says Dolly. “Unlike Oh My God, where Akshay Kumar played Krishna, we tailored the character to resonate more deeply with Telugu audiences.” He credits Pawan Kalyan’s charisma and sincerity for making the role memorable.
Dolly is also excited about major stars embracing divine roles, with Prabhas as Lord Shiva in Kannappa and Rishab Shetty as Lord Hanuman in Jai Hanuman. “Their performances will bring these revered figures to life,” he remarks.
He strongly opposes labeling god-centric films as "mythology." “We pray to Lord Krishna, Shiva, and Hanuman at home, yet when they are depicted in films, we call it mythology. That’s unfair. Ramayana and Mahabharata are historical epics, not myths,” he asserts.
Taking a dig at Hollywood superheroes, he adds, “Characters like Spiderman and Superman are purely fictional, whereas our gods are real and continue to bless us.”
Dolly once considered remaking Oh My God 2 in Telugu but ultimately decided against it. “We weren’t sure if Telugu audiences would connect with such a bold theme, so we dropped the idea,” he shares.
However, he is thrilled to see young Telugu directors like Chandoo Mondeti and Prashanth Varma reviving the socio-fantasy genre with Karthikeya 2 and HanuMan. “It’s essential to educate Gen Z about our sacred epics and rich culture. Telugu filmmakers once excelled at devotional cinema, telling these stories engagingly while preserving traditions,” he notes.
With growing demand for socio-fantasy films, Dolly believes more big stars and directors will embrace the genre. “The future looks bright,” he concludes.
