The concept of a pan-India film release isn’t new, say most film trade analysts and exhibitors. Mani Ratnam did it with `Roja` (1992) and `Bombay` (1995)—both Tamil films dubbed into Hindi and received well in North India. `Hum`, did it even earlier, in 1991. The movie starred superstars from both ends of the country—Amitabh Bachchan and Rajinikanth—and became one of the highest grossers of the year. Then `Baahubali`, both `The Beginning` (2015) and `The Conclusion` (2017), changed the game. 

“It was a huge success,” says film trade analyst Komal Nahata. “Even today, `Baahubali` is the highest-grossing Hindi film even though it is a dubbed one. No original Hindi film has been able to outdo it. Every South Indian producer wants to get on this bandwagon because the costing is minimal. You just have to record Hindi songs and dub the dialogues; nobody is spending Rs.5 crore on promotions in the Hindi market. And if the film clicks, it is a huge profit margin.”