New Delhi, Feb. 26 -- Young southern film stars such as Sivakarthikeyan, Ram Charan, NTR Jr., and Dulquer Salmaan are handily beating their Bollywood counterparts such as Varun Dhawan and Kartik Aaryan when it comes to box office openings.

While movie-going has certainly dwindled in recent years, posing challenges to newer actors whose films must rely on content and word-of-mouth, trade experts say southern names still command a loyal fan base that ensures a minimum guaranteed opening.

While the magnitude of fandom may not be comparable to older southern superstars such as Rajinikanth, Mohanlal or Chiranjeevi, their films continue to open big, unlike the Hindi market where even popular names have clocked dismal openings lately.

Amaran,...