S. S. Rajamouli proves that feature films can exercise creativity while still playing on timeless motifs.
Perhaps the first Tollywood movie to achieve widespread recognition in American culture, the Indian Telugu film RRR has proved to be a crowd favorite across the globe. Director S. S. Rajamouli treats us to a three-hour epic chronicling the intertwined quests of fictionalized Indian heroes Komaram Bheem and Alluri Sitarama Raju to free their people from British colonial rule.
In true epic fashion, the film does everything in a big way — eliciting frequent laughs, gasps, and applause even from a small audience. It opens with an intense sequence of events: the horrifying kidnapping of a small girl from a remote tribe by the British, and then the thrilling introduction of the two lead characters in turn. From there, the plot becomes rich and unrelenting. RRR — which is a Telugu acronym that translates to “Rise, Roar, Revolt” — doesn’t even stop and catch its breath to display the title sequence until nearly 45 minutes into the story. It seamlessly transitions from heartbreaking dialogue to enthralling battles to captivating song-and-dance scenes all while using innovative and unorthodox cinematography that is sure to dazzle American audiences.
As fun, dramatic, and over-the-top as the film is, it is nonetheless purposeful with every production choice. No plot point or throwaway line is without payoff, but at the same time, you are never bored by the setup. It leverages its hefty runtime and captivating story to earn its big moments, and it delivers with some of the most imaginative set pieces ever witnessed on the big screen.
Based (very) loosely on the exploits of their real-life counterparts, Bheem and Raju’s bromance-turned-rivalry steals the show. While the action is exhilarating (and unrelenting), the dance numbers are catchy, and the shot composition is stunning, the film’s story leaves the audience wrestling with real and terrifying questions about the nature of courage and morality. It manages to strike that perfect cinematic balance between a deep and compelling story, while at the same time allowing itself to have fun and refusing to take itself too seriously.
The film is currently streaming on Netflix, and I highly recommend you give it a watch. Like a Marvel or Star Wars movie, RRR is best enjoyed with a group (although its gratuitous violence obliges me to observe that said group should likely not include children). But unlike those movies, American audiences will be completely unprepared for the spectacle that they will experience. The movie is as unpredictable (both in substance and style) as it is enjoyable. The childlike awe that the climactic moments of this film inspire has the potential to match the experience of a first-time viewing of The Empire Strikes Back.
In an age when Hollywood giants seem capable only of producing milquetoast remakes and spinoffs, RRR provides a thrilling alternative. S. S. Rajamouli proves that feature films can exercise creativity while still playing on timeless motifs.
