RRR review: SS Rajamouli’s rousing film makes for an exhilarating big-screen experience

If there is one thing filmmaker SS Rajamouli has mastered over the years, it is the art of taking simple stories and narrating them in the most exhilarating fashion to give audiences a bang-for-the-buck experience. With each successive project, the director has been pushing the boundaries in terms of giving audiences an out-of-this-world cinematic experience.

RRR is no exception and offers what the promos had promised — a large-scale action spectacle that rises above its predictable plot and delivers a solid punch.

The plot is simple. When a young woman from a tribal village is taken away by the British, the tribe’s protector Bheem (NT Rama Rao, Jr) sets out to bring her back. He won’t stop at anything, literally.

On the mission, he makes friends with Rama Raju, an Indian police officer working for the British. Each is unaware of the other’s true identity and purpose. Over time, they form a strong bond such that they are even willing to die for each other. When they eventually learn the truth, however, all hell breaks loose and they turn on each other.

No Indian filmmaker makes big-budget spectacles like SS Rajamouli does. The director can make even the most mundane scene spectacular with his vision. He also knows how to hype the big moments and RRR is packed with quite a few jaw-dropping set pieces that make the three-hour runtime feel like a breeze.

Despite a slightly sagging second half, Rajamouli manages to leave his audience in awe of the visuals, especially the unbelievable action choreography. These moments only work because of the chemistry between Ram Charan and Jr NTR, who complement each other so well in the film’s crucial moments as well as in the light-hearted scenes. The film does not spend much time establishing the bond between their characters, but you still root for them when they join forces.

The only grouse with RRR is that it takes someone like Alia Bhatt and gives her just a couple of scenes that make hardly any impact. Ajay Devgn gets a crucial cameo and his role does come at an important juncture and makes for an interesting back story.

The rest of the support cast are reduced to extras. Even a seasoned actor like Samuthirakani has little to contribute. With a lot of focus on the characters of Ram Charan and Jr NTR, Rajamouli gets one thing right: he ensures that fans of the two Telugu stars are not let down even for a minute.

RRR was released in theatres worldwide on 25 March 2022.