In recent times, a noticeable shift has occurred in the release of Tamil films in the Telugu market, where original Tamil titles are being retained without any translation or adaptation.
This move breaks away from the long-standing practice of localizing titles to resonate with Telugu audiences.
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Previously, Tamil filmmakers would give dubbed films titles that made sense in the local language, making them more relatable, unless universal titles like Chandramukhi, Ghajini, or Baasha.
Even celebrated director Shankar’s films like Anniyan and Nanban were retitled as Aparichitudu and Snehitudu for the Telugu audience.
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However, this trend began fading with the release of Ajith’s Valimai, which retained its Tamil title in the Telugu market. Following this, several Tamil films have continued to use their original names, even for Telugu audiences.
Most recently, Suriya’s highly anticipated Kanguva will be released in all Indian languages without a title change.
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Even superstar Rajinikanth, who had earlier dubbed his film Annaatthe as Peddanna, is following this trend with his upcoming film Vettaiyan, which will be released in Telugu without title localization.
Though Vettaiyan means “hunter” in Telugu, fans are disappointed that no effort was made to adapt the title for regional viewers. Vettaiyan is also releasing in Hindi with the same title which restricts its business in Hindi markets.
Since there are no big promotional events planned specifically for the Telugu market, people are worried that filmmakers aren’t showing enough respect for the different languages spoken in India.
By not changing movie titles to suit the local language, filmmakers might be missing a chance to better connect with Telugu-speaking audiences and make the films feel more relatable to them.