Kota Srinivas Rao has commented that the trend of Telugu films going pan-Indian may well be a transient one. In an exclusive interview with IndiaGlitz, the veteran artist suggested that a film will be watched regardless of how small or big its scale is if the content is good. He gave the example of the 1957 epic fantasy film 'Mayabazar' and its long shelf-life.

When asked about films like 'RRR' and 'Pushpa' making a name for themselves on a pan-Indian stage, Kota said, "This is all good for talking and nothing else. A few years ago, 'Baahubali' became a blockbuster. It's the fortune of the Telugu people that Rajamouli made such a big hit. Who remembers the film today?"

Kota added, "This is all temporary. Who is talking about 'Baahubali' today? There was a time when everyone was talking about it for 6 months non-stop. The one classic we talk about even today is 'Mayabazaar'. If the film is playing on TV, everyone from a child to an old man watches it with great enthusiasm. The techniques used in the film, the scenes in it are still talked about in wonderment."

Kota observed that bombastic claims about big-budget movies are tiring. "In old times, producers wouldn't talk about the precise budget figures. These days, they boast a lot about the budget of every other big-scale movie. They claim that each shot cost them Rs 1 crore, so on and so forth," Kota said.

He noted, "If a film is good, people are going to watch it regardless of who is its hero. Didn't people watch 'Akhanda' (2021)? Don't people watch the movies of Mahesh Babu, Bunny and Jr NTR? The audience member wants entertainment and nothing else. He or she wants a bang for the buck he invests in buying a ticket."