I really should have written this back when it had its initial theatrical release here in the States a few months back, or at the very least before the one-night-only #EncoRRRe presentation that I just came out of a couple hours ago. But you know, life stuff gets in the way, I didn’t have the time, you know how it is. I only say this because RRR is the kind of film that really shows what it means to see a film on the big screen and with a crowd, the kind that the whole medium was practically built for. So, until we get another release, you are free to watch the film at home, as it is available for streaming right now.
On the off-chance you haven’t heard of RRR, it’s a Telugu language Indian film from writer/director, S. S. Rajamouli (of Baahubali fame), and it’s a musical epic action bromance with a heavy dose of historical fanfiction. In classic Indian blockbuster fashion, it’s got a bit of everything for everyone in there. It follows two men, Alluri Sitarama Raju “Ram” (Ram Charan) and Komaram Bheem (N. T. Rama Rao Jr.), two historical figures of the Indian revolution against the British, who never met in real life, but this film posits…but what if they did…and were total BFFs? Or at least, that’s just a piece of the overall bonanza.
The setup involves a young girl being stolen from a small village by the ruthless Governor Scott Buxton (Ray Stevenson) and his wife, Catherine (Alison Doody). Bheem is a local, and vows to find the girl, and bring her back by any means necessary. Meanwhile, we meet Ram as an officer, devoted to the Crown, and with a desire to rise in the ranks. He volunteers to locate Bheem, but as fate would have it, the two meet in an effort to save a boy, and wind up being best friends without knowing each other’s secrets.
That’s the basic setup, and the film does so much. It’s a little over three hours long, and the film is filled to the brim with stuff. From extensive backstories to action sequences to segues into full-on rom-com territory. And yet, it never feels over-stuffed, or too long, or too rushed. Now, as someone who has seen many Indian films, I’m no stranger to these sorts of over-the-top action movies that might seem unique to the average western viewer, however, rarely have I seen one that manages to strike the perfect balance between all the elements that come into play. This is one of those rare films where the filmmakers are just firing on all cylinders, and hitting bulls eye with every shot.
Rajamouli clearly understands that if you’re gonna make someone come out to see a movie, you better give them a bang for their buck, and boy howdy, does this film deliver. In terms of action, it’s probably the best I’ve seen all year. The first big set-piece, mere minutes into the film following the prologue with the young girl, we have a sequence where Ram is fighting his way through a mob of probably hundreds of extras trying to get to one guy, and it’s amazing. Each set-piece seems to top each other one right after the other, and each one is build with a strong idea as a foundation that the filmmaking builds upon and delivers in super impressive ways. Be it the one vs hundreds bit, or the unleashing hordes of animals on a crowd bit, or having one hero sitting on the shoulders of the other bit, to the final forest battle that goes full mythological with its imagery.
As a musical, it really only has one actual musical number, the rest of the songs are either done in montage or don’t involve big dancing sequences. That doesn’t stop the film’s one big number to be one of the most exhilarating musical sequences I’ve seen in a very, very long time. The “Naatu Naatu” number has already built a whole life of its own, and it’s not hard to see why, it’s beautifully choreographed, it has great bits of comedy, and there’s a stellar dynamic between the two leads and the surrounding British imperialists that they’re having this dance-off with. It works great even without context, I would certainly recommend looking it up, if anything, just check it out for the impressive dancing that the film displays wonderfully with extended wide shots that give you a long and clear look at each little move.
Another aspect that really sets a film like RRR apart from the stuff you’d usually see in western media is its level of sincerity and unabashed displays of platonic affection between men. Despite the British having their rule over India for so long, one thing we never really picked up from them was their sense of irony, and that’s pretty reflective in a lot of their mainstream art. Indian films are often nakedly sincere, and more than willing to get on-the-nose about it. There’s little in terms of snark, self-awareness, or “well, that happened” types of jokes. We say pretty much exactly what we mean, and the same goes to the way male characters display emotion. While India has its fair share of toxic masculinity, one aspect that isn’t as prevalent is the idea of men not expressing emotions. You’ll see male movie stars cry, be vulnerable, and have a sense of platonic intimacy with other men, which if seen in western media, is often immediately connected to homoeroticism or gay subtext, which can sometimes be the case, but is usually just our culture’s way of looking at male friendship being very different to how it’s often seen here.
I’m nearing a thousand words on this review now, but I still feel like I’m only scratching the surface on just how great a picture RRR is. Are there things I could criticize? Sure, there are bits of wire work and CGI here and there that are a bit on the janky side, and I think there is something to say (from someone way more smarter about this than me) about the fact that the film utilizes imagery and mythology that very much appeals to the current right wing Hindu nationalists that has been gaining power in recent years, and abusing powers at the expense of lower castes and other minority religions and groups. But as a piece of art, as blockbuster filmmaking, or just pop entertainment in general, RRR truly nails pretty much everything it goes for, and it goes for a lot of wild swings to begin with. The first time I saw this, when it initially came out, there was only me and two Indian women in the theater, and it was a great time, especially when I could hear then cheering and dancing during the “Naatu Naatu” number. Even with just those two people, the energy is infectious. So, when I saw again during its #EncoRRRe, this time with a huge and diverse crowd, it’s incredibly heartening to see everyone connect with a film like this, and not once feel like they’re poking fun at the ridiculousness. Everyone was applauding at all the right moments, the action beats land, the emotional beats land, and it’s all presented in a way that doesn’t confuse an audience who may not be up to speed on their Indian history. Plus, you got two incredibly charismatic performances from two beloved and popular movie stars, both matching the film’s wild energy. There’s so much to love about it, and it’s one that I would highly recommend to just about anyone. I loved the film after seeing it the first time, and it’s somehow even better the second. This is pure cinema.
A quick note regarding the film’s streaming availability. It is currently out on Netflix, but not in its original Telugu language. It is only available in Hindi. If you want to see the Telugu version, you will have to subscribe to the Zee5 streaming service, which was just made available to people in the States last year. I know the last thing people want is yet another streaming service, but for what it’s worth, there’s lots of good, stuff you can find there. In fact, one of my favorite films in recent years, Moothon, which appeared in my Top 50 of 2021 list, is exclusively streaming on there.