Nani Says Don’t Call The Paradise a Pan-India Film, Questions Changing Cinema Labels

Nani has questioned the way the term “pan-India” is used in Indian cinema, saying his upcoming film The Paradise should not be described using that label even though it is releasing in multiple languages.

During recent promotional interactions for the film, Nani said Telugu remains the primary focus for The Paradise and argued that audiences should decide whether a film has genuinely achieved nationwide acceptance rather than the industry assigning the label in advance.

The comments have brought renewed attention to how Indian films are marketed across linguistic markets and whether “pan-India” has become more of a promotional category than a description of audience reach.

Nani Questions the “Pan-India” Tag

Nani has previously spoken about his reservations regarding the term. In his latest comments, he questioned why films originating from South Indian industries are frequently given the “pan-India” tag when they receive releases or audiences outside their home language.

He also pointed to a perceived difference in how successful Hindi-language films are described when they find audiences across India. Reports of his comments quoted him questioning why a Hindi film can continue to be described simply as a Hindi film while a successful Telugu, Tamil, Kannada or Malayalam film is more readily branded “pan-India.”

Nani's position is that releasing a movie in several languages does not automatically determine whether it should carry the label.

The Paradise Is Still Releasing Across Multiple Languages

Despite Nani's objection to the terminology, The Paradise is being positioned for a release beyond the Telugu market.

The film stars Nani and is directed by Srikanth Odela, with whom the actor previously worked on Dasara. The cast also includes Mohan Babu, Kayadu Lohar, Sonali Kulkarni and Raghav Juyal.

The official teaser describes the film as a worldwide theatrical release on September 24, 2026.

The film has also generated attention because of its decision to skip a conventional theatrical trailer.

No Conventional Trailer Before Release

Nani confirmed earlier this month that The Paradise would reach theatres without a conventional trailer.

He explained that producing the trailer would require members of the filmmaking team to divert time and attention from completing the film. The team instead chose to concentrate on finishing the movie itself before its theatrical release.

The decision means audiences have so far had to rely primarily on the film's teaser and promotional material rather than a traditional full-length trailer.

Is the “Pan-India” Label Changing?

The discussion around The Paradise reflects a broader change in Indian cinema over the past several years.

The term became particularly prominent as films from Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam industries began securing substantial audiences outside their original language markets. Films such as Baahubali, KGF, Pushpa and RRR helped establish the idea of a South Indian film being marketed simultaneously to audiences across the country.

Today, however, many major releases are routinely distributed in multiple languages. That has made the distinction between a regional release and a “pan-India” film less straightforward.

Nani's argument focuses on that distinction: a multilingual release and nationwide audience acceptance are not necessarily the same thing. His comments have consequently reopened discussion about whether the label should be determined by marketing teams before release or by the response of audiences after a film reaches different regions.

The Paradise Keeps Its Focus on the Film

For The Paradise, the immediate focus remains its September 24 theatrical release.

The film has received an A certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification and has a runtime of close to three hours, according to recent reports.

With the makers keeping major story details under wraps and avoiding a conventional trailer, the film's theatrical reception will provide the next indication of how audiences across different markets respond to it.

For Nani, however, the terminology appears less important than the film itself. His latest comments suggest that he would rather allow audiences to determine the film's reach than have The Paradise defined by a promotional label before release.

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