The South Indian film industry will soon be hosting a first-of-its-kind conclave in Chennai to explore new opportunities. The not-so-hidden agenda of the conclave is to take on Bollywood to create a level playing field for South Indian cinema in the international market.

Compared to Bollywood, the South churns out double the number of films, with as much technical competence. The budgets are smaller, the work faster and the canvas much more eager to lend itself to contemporary socio-political issues.

When it chooses to go big, even Bollywood's biggest productions find it difficult to match up.

Yet on the international stage, why is Bollywood still considered the brand ambassador of Indian cinema? This is a debate that will form core of this cinema conclave in Chennai starting November 19.

Spearheading the movement are industry stalwarts Kamal Haasan and Mohanlal. "We cannot have a stand-off kind of stand and ask who's at fault. We want to be the change we want to be," says Kamal Haasan.

Bringing up the other side of the debate are the Bollywood biggies. They will also hear voices of filmmakers who have created an edge in both the industries.

For the first time the South Indian cinema is speaking in one voice to make its presence felt at the global level. Rajinikanth's daughter Soundarya has already announced big awards on the lines of IIFA.