When two legends gather to have a conversation, the only thing you can do is sit and watch. This week, Reliance Entertainment decided to reunite via video call Academy Award winner Steven Spielberg and first-time Oscar nominee S.S. Rajamouli, who managed to make his action-musical blockbuster RRR break out of Bollywood and become an international hit. The duo gathered in an interview-like setting, in which Rajamouli asked questions about The Fabelmans, the acclaimed Spielberg movie that’s about to premiere in India.
However, as soon as the conversation started, Spielberg sang a lot of praise for RRR and revealed that, like most of us, he’s obsessed with the Telugu-language film. Not that the movie needs validation at this point, but to have a living legend’s blessing is a heck of a milestone and another testament to how RRR managed to burst out of its Bollywood bubble. And the American director didn’t mince words when speaking to Rajamouli:
“I have to tell you, I think your movie was outstanding. […] I saw it last week and it was just amazing. I couldn’t believe my eyes. For me, it was like eye candy. I thought the performances of Rama [Rao Jr.] and Ram [Charan Teja] and Alia [Bhatt] and all the cast was just… […] A beautiful, visual style. I just thought it was extraordinary to look at and to experience, so congratulations on ‘RRR’ […] You cannot make a movie like that without having everybody in a collaboration, where everyone feels that they’re making a contribution of the best of who they are.”
Image via Pen Studio
RRR Shines On - Except At The Oscars' Main Categories
In case you missed it, RRR is a three-hour epic that became the most expensive Indian movie ever made – it cost around $70 million. It has top-notch special effects that rival Hollywood blockbusters’, an overarching storyline that’s ambitious in every beat and, of course, song and dance. Director Rajamouli also co-wrote the script along with Vijaendra Prasad and Sai Madhav Burra. RRR made history by managing to gross over $170 million worldwide and then did it again when it became nominated for the Best Original Song at the Oscars – but it failed to get a nomination for Best International Feature Film, which left many fans confused.
The good news is, the story will continue, as Rajamouli revealed back in December that he and his team are “seriously working” on the story for a planned sequel that promises to be every bit as ambitious and compelling as the original. It’s probably going to take a while, though, since this is the type of production that takes several months to go from page to screen.
You can watch the Rajamouli-Spielberg interview below: