From Kalki 2898 AD to Pushpa 2: Top 8 most expensive South Indian films ever made

From action-thrillers, neo-noir crime, romantic comedies to intense emotional dramas, South cinema has delivered some of the biggest superhits of the country.

With actors like Vijay Sethupati, Allu Arjun, Prabhas, Yash , Jr. NTR, Ram Charan, and Mahesh Babu, the South cinema industry boasts of all the powerhouse actors one can ask for.

Not only this, the industry has also delivered some of the most expensive movies made in the country.

Here's a look at the top 8 most expensive movies South Indian movies.

. Topping the list is the Prabhas starrer, which was released in 2023. This Indian mythological action-fantasy film also stars Saif Ali Khan and Kriti Sanon.

The film, upon its release, also found itself at the the center of severe controversy for using some objectionable dialogues and distortion of characters.

. Another Prabhas-starrer, this film was released in 2024 and went on to gross over Rs 1,000 crore globally.

This epic science fiction film is considered one of the biggest super hits from the Telugu industry. The film blends Hindu mythology with a dystopian future and has received critical reviews for its spectacular high quality visual effects and powerful performances by Prabhas and Amitabh Bachchan.

The film is part of the Kalki Cinematic Universe (KCU), a futuristic, dystopian franchise created by Nag Ashwin.

The sequel is currently under works with with Amitabh Bachchan and Kamal Haasan already filming scenes in Hyderabad. A new actress will be reportedly replacing Deepika Padukone in the sequel.

. Featuring Ram Charan, this 2022 epic period action drama directed by S. S. Rajamouli, was full of action-packed scenes and emotional storytelling and masala mix.

The film was then sold its post-theatrical streaming rights to Netflix and ZEE5, which fuelled its success. The film also stars N. T. Rama Rao Jr., Ajay Devgn and Alia Bhatt in pivotal roles.

. Allu Arjun starrer and Sukumar directorial, Pushpa 2: The Rule is a sequel to 2021 superhit Pushpa: The Rise.

Many believe that the mass formula to simply entertain that the film follows is behind it's massive success at the box office. The film also features Arjun's now-wife Rashmika Mandanna as Srivalli.

. The films boast a combined budget of an estimated Rs 350 crore. These Indian Tamil-language epic historical fiction action drama films are directed by Mani Ratnam and stars Vikram, Karthi, Ravi Mohan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Trisha Krishnan, and Jayaram, among others.

. The film serves as a standalone sequel to Enthiran (2010), featuring Rajinikanth in a triple role as Vaseegaran, Chitti the Robot and Kutti. The film also features Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson and Adil Hussain. This sci-fi action thriller also ranks among highest-grossing Indian films.

. Once again a Prabhas starrer, the Baahubali franchise features of two epic action films co-written and directed by S. S. Rajamouli. The film grossed over ₹2,400 crore worldwide becoming a global success.

. Another Prabhas starrer, this 2022 period romantic drama also features Pooja Hegde. The high production costs, including extensive European sets and VFX, led to the film becoming a financial failure, collecting around Rs 140–214 crore. It is also tagged as the biggest flops in the Tollywood industry.