Although the website is called “Bryon Knows Movies,” I must admit that I still have some blind spots. One of those blind spots is Indian-produced cinema. I have a fleeting knowledge of Bollywood movies (Indian-produced movies from Mumbai), and my experience of Tollywood films (Indian-produced movies from Hyderabad, Telangana) is nonexistent. That is why I found RRR on Netflix surprisingly delightful.
What’s it About?
RRR is a 3-hour epic set in 1920s India, which was suffering under oppressive British rule. The story centers around two epic figures, Alluri Sitarama Raju (Ram Charan) and Komaram Bheem (N.T. Rama Rao Jr.). Raju is a military officer for the British government with a strong desire to move up the ranks. Bheem is a tribal leader who serves as the protector of the Gond tribe. These individuals are epic in the most literal sense. They have both trained their mind, body, and will to be able to perform superhuman-level feats of strength and courage.
British governor Buxton (Ray Stevenson) and his wife Catherine (Alison Doody) kidnap a little girl named Malli (Twinkle Sharma) from the Gond tribe in the most brutal fashion. Bheem, as the protector of the Gond tribe and brother to Malli, vows to save the little girl from the villainous governor.
The governor’s advisors receive word that Bheem is coming for the girl. Catherine offers any military officer a promotion to Special Rank if they can capture Bheem alive. Raju accepts the assignment, as the promotion aligns with his own goals.
Bheem enters Delhi under the alias, Akkthar. Akkthar and Raju cross paths when both save a boy from a fire. They quickly become close friends, not knowing each other’s true identities and motives. The rest of the movie revolves around this complicated relationship, Bheem’s quest to save Malli, and Raju’s quest to capture him.
My Reaction:
I am a little late to the party regarding RRR, but word of mouth and recent press has the film trending in the top ten on Netflix. The three-hour run time initially turned me off. A film must be extraordinary (i.e., The Godfather Part II, The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, Malcolm X). So, committing that amount of time to an unknown property made me a bit hesitant.
However, those concerns were quickly put to rest. This perfectly-paced film’s story is incredibly captivating. You want to spend even more time in this world than the three-hour duration provides. Nothing drags in this movie. Every scene is filled with purpose and meaning for the overarching saga. Also, in the age of binge-watching TV shows, the runtime doesn’t feel nearly as burdensome. If the runtime is a deal-breaker, break RRR into two parts. A clear break at the 1:37:35 mark allows for an intermission.
According to CBR, RRR’s 72-million-dollar budget makes it the most expensive Indian-produced film in history. The scale of the set design and special effects make this financial commitment evident. The size of some of the conflicts, most of which are done practically with a massive number of extras, is done just as well as other films of similar scope.
Ram Charan has “cross-over star” written all over him. I hope his agent is on the phone with Hollywood, as Charan could be a leading man in any Hollywood film today.
The two leads, N.T. Rama Rao Jr., and Ram Charan, carry this film in every way. First, their acting is impeccable. Their ability to switch between humor, joy, distress, and intense anger gives both of our two leads the emotional depth required to lead such an ambitious film. What’s more, the physicality they bring to everything from action scenes to dance routines is impressive. Ram Charan has “cross-over star” written all over him. I hope his agent is on the phone with Hollywood, as Charan could be a leading man in any Hollywood film today.
The British Empire, represented by Governor Buxton, his wife Catherine, and the rest of the military, is portrayed as pure evil. The Empire is similar to how Nazis are often portrayed in action films: unnecessarily brutal, irredeemably wicked, mustache-twirling villains you hate. They exist somewhere between the Nazis in Indiana Jones and The Raiders of the Lost Ark and Schindler’s List.
There is nothing complex about these villains. They all just stumble over each other to see who can outdo the evil actions of the next person. I’m ok with this, especially given the history and fallout of colonialism and imperialism throughout most of the world. It may be a bit shocking for some, but in a world that centers on oppressed people, the portrayal of the British is a welcomed shift.
Some critics call Director S.S. Rajamouli the Peter Jackson of Indian cinema. After watching RRR, I understand the comparison. However, what this film accomplishes through action, drama, musical dance, and song routines proves that Rajamouli’s skills are uniquely his own. It is captivating, entirely over the top, and begs for a rewatch. See this film, or you may regret missing the year’s best action movie.
