Director Maruthi described Prabhas as a 'medium-range hero' elevated to pan-India stardom by SS Rajamouli's Baahubali, crediting Rajamouli for Telugu cinema's global reach. While Maruthi's praise for Rajamouli was noted, some Prabhas fans reacted negatively to the 'medium-range hero' description, citing the actor's earlier successful films. Others defended Maruthi, acknowledging that many stars were considered tier-2 before pan-India success.