Rahul Dev Reacts to Mahesh Babu’s ‘Bollywood Can’t Afford Me’

Actor Rahul Dev has triggered debate online after commenting on Mahesh Babu’s much-discussed “Bollywood can’t afford me” statement during a recent interview. His remark about the Telugu superstar’s Hindi-speaking ability quickly went viral, drawing strong reactions from fans on social media.

Rahul Dev, who worked with Mahesh Babu in the 2002 film Takkari Donga, spoke about the actor during an interaction with Hindi Rush. The conversation covered Mahesh’s career choices, his collaborations with filmmaker Trivikram Srinivas, and his long-standing absence from Hindi cinema despite his popularity among Hindi-speaking audiences through dubbed Telugu films.

Rahul Dev praises Mahesh Babu’s film choices

During the interview, Rahul Dev credited Mahesh Babu’s success to the kind of films he chose, especially his collaborations with Trivikram Srinivas. He described the filmmaker as “a very sensible director” and said their films successfully balanced commercial storytelling with substance.

“Director Srinivas is a very sensible director. He was his first choice for several years and they did many films together. They merge commercial with sense, that genre is not there in Hindi cinema,” Rahul said.

He also contrasted Telugu commercial cinema with Hindi films, saying Bollywood often swings between intense experimental cinema and remakes of Hollywood productions.

‘He doesn’t know the language’: Rahul Dev’s remark goes viral

The discussion shifted to Mahesh Babu’s famous 2022 comment about Bollywood. When asked about the actor saying “Bollywood can’t afford me,” Rahul Dev smiled and replied, “Unko zuban nahi aati, sahi baat toh ye hai,” which translates to, “He doesn’t know how to speak the language, that’s the truth.”

Rahul ended the comment with a wink, leading many viewers to interpret the statement as a joke. Even so, clips from the interview spread rapidly online and sparked criticism from some Mahesh Babu fans, who argued that the actor speaks Hindi fluently.

Several social media users responded by sharing older interviews and promotional appearances in which Mahesh Babu conversed in Hindi.

Mahesh Babu’s original Bollywood comment

Mahesh Babu made headlines in May 2022 during the trailer launch of Adivi Sesh’s Major. Speaking about offers from Hindi cinema, the actor had said, “I may sound arrogant, but I did get a lot of offers in Hindi. But I think they can’t afford me. I don’t want to waste my time.”

He also clarified that he never felt the need to move away from Telugu cinema because of the success and fan following he already enjoys there.

“The stardom and love I have here in Telugu cinema, I never thought of going to another industry,” Mahesh had said at the event.

The statement sparked widespread discussion at the time, with some interpreting it as confidence in Telugu cinema’s growing national reach and others viewing it as a dig at Bollywood.

Mahesh Babu’s next film

Mahesh Babu is set to appear next in Varanasi, directed by S. S. Rajamouli. The film also stars Priyanka Chopra and Prithviraj Sukumaran.

Reports around the project suggest Mahesh may be playing dual roles, although the makers have not officially confirmed plot details. The film is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on April 7, 2027.