The years 2022–2023 have been very productive and special for Indian cinema. While a lot of movies that were expected to do great at the box office tasted failure, some unexpected releases made it big onscreen. From bittersweet lessons to thunderous victories at the Academy Awards, it was quite a rollercoaster ride. One thing was sure: as we are approaching the midpoint of 2023, we can see Indian cinema marching towards a new, colourful horizon full of hopes!
The RoaRRR of Indian Cinema!
S. S. Rajamouli—a name that the Indian cinema fraternity will never forget until its existence The reasons are many. A man with zero failures Every movie of his has broken records, making that particular hero’s career the best. This is because he knows how to bring out the best in an artist. Remember how Ram Charan and NTR were complaining about how strict SSR was?
While RRR’s trailer dropped, people were, as usual, hyper-excited to watch something extraordinary from SSR. The story was about two freedom fighters in India, Alluri Sita Rama Raju and Komaram Bheem, who lived in two different eras. SSR’s wild imagination of ‘What if both of them met?’ paved the way for RRR. NTR and Ram Charan had previously worked with SSR. They both know how demanding a filmmaker he is. More than that, what made RRR a worldwide phenomenon was S. S. Rajamouli’s imagination and the creativity he poured into giving it life.
Honestly, RRR had a lot of whistle moments, and it was basically a movie encapsulated in Goosebumps. But still, for some reason, including myself, a lot of people pondered questions regarding ‘logic’ in a lot of sequences. But what actually happened was that while the world got to watch RRR, they had no time to ponder over the logic but to fall in love with the magic created by S. S. Rajamouli onscreen. It is an undeniable fact that this man knows how to capture the audience at the right moment.
By 2023, RRR made such a huge impact across the globe as it grabbed the academy awards for best original soundtrack after winning at the golden globes. RRR became the first Indian feature film to get an Oscar and this was a historic feat!
What Worked Big For RRR?
When the movie was first announced, everyone had only positive things to say about the cast and the director. Whenever director S. S. Rajamouli came up with a project, people stopped worrying about the star cast. Because he was a legendary director who made wonders onscreen using a mere fly! He made huge superstars out of actors like Ram Charan and Prabhas. Hence, Rajamouli’s magic was in his strong imagination and the way he conceives a movie and delivers it. But again, this time, the two biggest actors in the country are Ram Charan and NTR. Both of these stars had previously joined hands with SSR. But this time, their names under a Rajamouli project automatically doubled the expectations.
As soon as the movie was released, positive reviews came from all directions. As always, the SSR magic worked just fine. Being a maker, he always knew what made the audience excited. It is almost as if he has a remote control to control people’s emotions. Not to mention how he, every time, aces that interval punch in his movie. In RRR, it was this mind-boggling action block involving NTR and Ram Charan along with a bunch of wild animals!
There was little feedback from the people of India regarding a few logical errors in the movie. For example, how can animals of different species stay in the same cage and not harm each other, or NTR lift up a bike to bash a person during an action block? But the international audience never questioned anything. They were totally mesmerised by what SSR had created on screen. Along with the strong promotional tactics of the team, the movie became a sensation across the globe.
We saw people from various nations dancing for Naatu Naatu, not to mention how they were going berserk inside the theatre after watching the movie! Social media was filled with stories and posts about people from different parts of the globe celebrating RRR. The movie getting rewarded at the Academy Awards is just the icing on the cake. The movie team had already received more recognition than that across the globe by then!
What Next?
S. S. Rajamouli is no ordinary filmmaker when it comes to India. His movie had always been an inspiration for many filmmakers in India. In a recent interview, legendary director Mani Ratnam admitted that he got the confidence to make the epic Ponniyin Selvan due to Rajamouli’s Baahubali. SSR is basically breaking all the barriers that existed in Indian cinema. After Baahubali and now RRR, more directors are coming forward to experiment. Rajamouli sowed the seeds of thinking big among the upcoming filmmakers.
Not to mention how many failed after trying to copy his style! Rajamouli is a brand now, and it is undeniable. And RRR was just one of his experiments. Currently, Rajamouli is focused on making an action-packed, forest adventure movie with Mahesh Babu. The real thing is yet to come. Everyone is looking forward to the man making his dream project, “The Mahabharatha”. And we are sure that it will again do wonders by taking Indian cinema to a higher level!
