South Indian stars struggle to convert popularity into national brand value

That said, many emphasize that a superstar in the south can have extraordinary cultural influence, theatre pull and fan loyalty without necessarily maximising endorsements, social-media activity or national media visibility. According to Shivashish Tarkas, founder and chief executive, The InterMentalist, a south Indian influencer marketing agency, south Indian actors are definitely investing more in their digital presence, and the gap with Bollywood is narrowing. Among female actors, the adoption has generally been faster because fashion, lifestyle and beauty naturally lend themselves to social platforms. Among male actors, it is more gradual, particularly because established stars still have enormous offline fan ecosystems.