It’s ‘Roaring’ for attention

Nonika Singh

Two hyper masculine heroes, a dash of patriotic fervour, a bit of emotion and oodles and oodles of mind-boggling action… is that RRR for you. Ah, only if the formula to a SS Rajamouli film was that simple to decode.

As one of the most awaited films of the year and the most expensive Indian film (its budget of Rs 550 crore far exceeds Rajamouli’s previous magnum opus Baahubali) hits the screens, you expect it to be in line with what the acronym suggests; Rise Roar Revolt. Only it roars more than anything else. The fact that the narrative is set in 1920s is incidental, as is the truth that it based on two real-life revolutionaries namely Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem. For what drives the film is Baahubali director’s vision and complete flight of fancy. Not only is the premise; the supposed friendship between the two leads fictional, so is all else. Nothing here, the evil deeds or the romance between a tribal and British girl (a refreshingly beautiful Olivia Morris) is meant to be taken seriously.

Rajamouli makes his intentions clear from the onset. The manner in which he introduces his larger-than-life heroes and before that the villainy of its bad men, British the colonial masters coupled with the loud background score, clearly he is out to create a spectacle. And that he does with aplomb, with special effects, technology, fair bit of vision, and scintillating camerawork by cinematographer KK Senthil Kumar. Each frame is built like a piece of craft. Even when in the initial rushes, Ram Charan as a policeman under the British regime in India is seen crushing the rebellion of a motley crowd rather ruthlessly. Indeed, if you are not clued into his superstar status and the background of the film, you may wonder; is he a hero or a villain? But, entertaining thoughts of any kind is only a fleeting exercise here. The idea here is to bombard you with Rajamouli brand of entertainment that leaves no room for profoundness, subtlety or sombre shades of cinema.

Heroes fight with tiger, take on hundreds of men, in this case the despotic British, who are as caricaturised as can be. And you bet our heroes are as heroic as Rajamouli imagines them to be and casts them in superhero mould. One is policeman Ram (Ram Charan), the other is Bheem (Jr NTR) and their names have everything to do with our mythology. Why in the climax Ram Charan even appears as Lord Ram’s modern ‘avatar, with a bow and quiver full of arrows.

Till the first half you are taken along on the road where the conflict is rooted in their foes-turned-friends ambivalence. If spectacular action is central to Rajamouli’s storytelling, so is conflict. There is enough drama and dramatic tension to keep you going. And the camaraderie between the two, one a policeman and the other a Gond tribal, is endearing. So are the two actors. Both Jr NTR and Ram Charan fit their parts like a glove. If you, from the Hindi speaking belt, are already not a fan, Rajamouli succeeds in making you one. Be it their stupefying action stunts or their twinkling feet (mark their desi naach), their livewire energy is both palpable and infectious. If with Baahubali, the superstar director made Prabhas a national star, expect a similar feat with RRR as both Ram Charan and Jr NTR will have you more than suitably impressed.

As for our Bollywood actors, Ajay Devgn and Alia Bhatt, who make their debut in Telugu cinema with RRR, well Devgn is like always in fine form. In a film high on melodrama and over-the-top histrionics, surprisingly he strikes a subtle and forceful note. Alia’s powerhouse talent as Ram’s love interest, who else but Sita, however, is under-utilised as she appears only in flashes. The film, however, is no flash in the pan in the firmament of entertainment. Even with a runtime of over three hours, it has you rooting for its protagonists who deliver with panache, style and earnestness writ all over them.

Watch the much hyped RRR to know how Rajamouli lives up to expectations, packages masala elements, and gives the formula a twist in his signature style. He suspends disbelief but never, thrill and entertainment.