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| RRR |
India’s film industries are, together, more prolific than those of any other country – perhaps unsurprisingly, given that they serve a population of 1.4 billion, even before it comes to the export market – yet its output has long struggled to gain international recognition. Imagining the stories of two legendary heroes in the time before they rose to prominence as revolutionaries set on achieving independence from the British, RRR is a film which has finally succeeded in making an impact on the international stage, receiving Golden Globe nominations for Best Non-English Language Film and Best Original Song. I spoke with four members of the team behind it, all of whom were excited by its success. It is now the fourth biggest grossing film in Indian history, bringing in the equivalent of over $225m on the domestic market.
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Given that the plot of RRR incorporates a romance between one of the aforementioned heroes, Komaram Bheem (played by NT Rama Rao Jr, aka Jr NTR) and a young Englishwoman (Olivia Morris), its biggest dance number involves British as well as Indian characters. I ask costume designer Rama Rajamouli, wife of director SS Rajamouli what that meant for her, as the British clothes of the time were not designed for dancing in like the garments worn by Indians of the period (at least as they are depicted in films, but she explains that she actually didn’t know what would end up happening in that sequence when designing them.
“As for the scene, it is not supposed to be a dance,” she says. “It starts off as a party, so the costumes were designed for a party, not for a dance. But then unexpectedly, it turns into a dance sequence. So they're supposed to be designed for a party and not for a dance. But somehow the artists all managed very well dancing in these costumes.” She smiles.
There’s an increasing number of films out there these days which look at problems created around the world by the British Empire (or the English Empire, as it is described in the film), and at the abuses which took place within it. It’s unusual, however, to see one on that subject which is this entertaining. How did they strike a balance between reflecting those serious issues and making an exciting epic?
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“It was the vision of the director; it was our job to do justice to that,” says the film’s multi-award winning production designer, Sabu Cyril. “And we already knew this about the genre of the film: it is a fiction, but about the characters who existed in those days. But we took the liberty, and that liberty was within a framework where it shouldn't be exaggerated too much, but it should be believable – so we had to take care of that. And I think that was the main reason and I think we have done justice to it.”
“This is actually like a film with two legendary characters, but it's a fictional world,” adds cinematographer KK Senthil Kumar, who has worked with the director on several other films. “And see at this point of time, [SS] Rajamouli is known to make big screen entertainers, so this finally falls into the genre of commercial film made for the audience. So my thing was like, okay, we are all looking forward to giving that big screen experience to the audience.
“Though it is about legendary characters, we did not want to give it a documentary kind of a feel, we wanted to give it a very cinematic feel, which people would love to come and see on the big screen. It is meant to be a big ticket film for the big screen. So right from the way the camera was chosen to the lighting scheme to like, what are the big setups the story had, the story in itself was written in a very entertaining way of telling the serious matter. So it was our job, after the story [was written], to help our director fulfil his vision.”
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Reflecting on the film’s success, Sabu says “I think we enjoyed our work and when people appreciate our work which was seen on screen. We are the backdrop basically: we make it believable and we don't perform so we are behind the camera. And when we make it happen and when it becomes believable and the whole audience enjoys it, I think that those are our wish and it's come to reality.”
Acclaimed composer MM Keeravani, who wrote the film’s hit song, agrees. “And whatever RRR is meant to be, expanded in different languages – the title, RRR – at this juncture, me and all the team, of course, we are waiting for RRR again - that is, recognition, recognition and more recognition.”
It has recently been confirmed that RRR will be getting a sequel. Currently enjoying a second run in cinemas, it's also available to stream on Netflix, but you should really watch it on the biggest screen you can.
