Thoughts on RRR (2022)

Load (with an emotional story, gripping background score & riveting action sequences) + Aim (at global audience) + Shoot = Epic blockbuster!

RRR, from being a pan-Indian phenomenon, has become a worldwide phenomenon. It is no exaggeration to say that RRR has garnered more fans from foreign countries like USA/Japan than India. An Irish Times article called RRR an 'unstoppable cultural phenomenon'. As of now, RRR is the most expensive Indian film ever made with a budget of over Rs. 500cr and is the third highest-grossing Indian film with collections of over Rs. 1200cr worldwide.

When I first went to watch the film on the big screen some nine months ago, I didn't know what to expect, but I know for sure that some spectacle was going to unleash before me, reason - my unflinching belief in Rajamouli! Right after the titles started, I realized, not just a spectacle but something more was in store for me! After those three hours, I was speechless. The movie was fully worth my every penny!

Now, with Golden Globe and Oscar nominations, RRR is everywhere in the news. So I thought to watch it again despite my busy schedule. Watching the movie again brought me the same feelings I had when I watched it for the first time. So I decided to pen down some of my thoughts about the film.

Experience-wise, what felt unique about RRR was that I was fully engrossed in the film right from when the title cards began to appear, thanks to MM Keeravani's captivating background score blending western drum beats and Indian singing! The way we were introduced to the movie in three phases - 'The Story' + 'The Fire' + 'The Water' felt very new and refreshing. It helped in setting the context strongly and also in character building of lead actors Ram (Charan) and Bhim (NTR). The title reveal after the train blast episode gave me goosebumps!

While watching the movie, it didn't feel like just another movie. There was something larger than life about RRR. I think it was because of the purpose which was driving the protagonists. If one was determined to bring back the innocent tribal girl from the clutches of the mighty British the other was working towards bringing the empire itself to an end! In both cases, the protagonists were too small before their enemy and their goals were lofty! The 'larger than life' nature of the film, according to me, was given a musical form with the Janani song.

The action sequences are a major asset for the film! They are very well placed within the story and evoke strong emotions. Be it Ram's introduction scene or the pre-climax confrontation or the climax fight, all of them are perfectly orchestrated too. Symbolism was very effectively used in these fights. In a scene in the pre-climax fight when Ram ('fire') and Bhim ('water') clash against each other, pressurized water pipes and fireworks clash in the background!

The Cinematography too was top-notch! Bhim's introduction scene, where the camera slowly turns upright from an inverted shot is one of my favorites in the movie. Further, to give a realistic feel to the episode where a CGI Tiger chases Bhim, I learnt that the cinematographer practiced moving the camera with the same speed as a Tiger would normally run and NTR (Bhim) had to run between reference points in such a way that he remains within the visual field of the fast-moving camera. Such intelligent work by the cinematography department reduces the effort of the CGI team in making computer graphics appear real on screen. The production design complements the cinematography. British palace design was so elegant that it truly reflected the richness and grandeur of the British empire while giving a sense of awe to the common man about British authority. Credit should also go to the production design team for an authentic portrayal of 1920s India.

Like in all Rajamouli's films, in RRR too, we can see strategic use of background score and soundtrack. Whenever the 'Gond eh' background music comes, the hairs on my hand would refuse to stay down! The Naatu Naatu song, which became the first Asian song to win the Golden Globe, deserves a special mention. If the catchy lyrics and energetic beats made us hook to it instantly, the energetic choreography took the song to the next level. But perhaps what made it truly stand out was the core essence of the song - a brave challenge against racism and celebration of indigeneity! Racism and colonial oppression were very well portrayed all throughout the movie using well-written dialogues like - "English bullet manufactured using English metals and transported by an English vessel" shouldn't be "squandered on brown rubbish".

To conclude, in the contemporary times when storytelling is taking backseat and movies are essentially being driven by technical aspects like extraordinary VFX, sound re-recording, etc., Rajamouli's films stand apart. For, he perfectly blends storytelling and technical brilliance. It is perhaps this that attracted the western audience too!