The trend of sequels in South Indian cinema kicked off with the massive success of Baahubali. This blockbuster created a huge buzz for its sequel Baahubali 2, which became one of the top-grossing movies in India. Following this, KGF was released in two parts, with both becoming super hits, especially KGF Chapter 2, which collected over ₹1200 crores. In Tamil cinema, Ponniyin Selvan directed by Mani Ratnam was released in two parts and received good reviews in Tamil Nadu, though it didn't click as well in other languages.
Currently, Pushpa is set for a sequel titled Pushpa: The Rule. A common factor among these sequels is the extensive number of shooting days. Among these, only Mani Ratnam's Ponniyin Selvan was completed in less than a year, taking just 210 days for both parts. On the other hand, Rajamouli spent a whopping 658 days shooting Baahubali 1 and 2. KGF Chapters 1 and 2 took 1210 days due to delays caused by the pandemic. Pushpa directed by Sukumar, starring Allu Arjun, is also taking a long time with 1085 days for both parts, making it the longest shooting franchise in Telugu cinema.
Upcoming sequels like Salaar, Devara, and Kalki 2898 AD may break or set new records for the longest shooting days. Film analysts believe that such prolonged shooting schedules are limiting star actors to fewer releases, suggesting that reducing shooting times is necessary for the industry.