Image shared by SS Rajamouli. (courtesy: ssrajamouli)

SS Rajamouli has taken Indian cinema to higher heights together with his final movie RRR. Released nearly a yr in the past, the action-thriller set within the pre-Independence period continues to win the hearts of the viewers, in India and within the West. It has received a number of worldwide awards, together with the Golden Globes for Best Original Song for Naatu Naatu (which has additionally been nominated on the Oscars 2023). After the superb success of RRR, Rajamouli has opened up about working with lead stars, Jr NTR and Ram Charan, over time. In an interview with The New Yorker magazine, the filmmaker shared his expertise of working with the distinguished stars of Telugu cinema and if he needed to give them comparable directions on the RRR set.

Rajamouli, who first labored with Jr NTR in 2001’s Student No 1, mentioned that he has a “solid understanding” with the actor so, he does not “need to tell Jr NTR anything.” The filmmaker mentioned, “Jr NT hasn’t changed a bit since we both worked on my first film, ‘Student No. 1.’ He’s obviously improved a lot over the years, though. He always understands what the director is trying to achieve and gives it in an instant. That’s the hallmark of a great actor. We have such a solid understanding between us that I don’t need to tell him anything. He remembers scenes from the first time I’hv described them to him. We have a great rapport. ‘RRR’ is my fourth collaboration with him.”

When it involves Ram Charan, the actor has left SS Rajamouli “surprised” many instances with “the nuances in his acting.” The duo first labored collectively in 2009’s action-romance Magadheera. Rajamouli mentioned, “It’s been a different experience with Ram Charan. The first time I worked with him was his second major role, ‘Magadheera.’ He was a bit raw at the time. He had a lot of energy, a lot of charm, and could do his action moves—or dance moves, or sentimental moves—with ease. But he was still learning a few acting nuances at that time. By the time he came to “RRR,” he’d developed a very new trait, which I have never seen with anybody else. Even although he all the time is aware of the story—and what he must do in a scene—he one way or the other retains his thoughts utterly clear.”

“He (Ram Charan) comes to me and says, “Look, I’m a blank page. You can draw whatever you want on me.” I do not know the way Ram Charan developed that artwork. I’m a bit stunned at any given take; I can by no means guess what he will ship. Many instances, he bowls me over with the nuances in his performing. He and N.T.R. are utterly totally different actors, and dealing with each of them has introduced me very totally different sorts of pleasure as a director,” added SS Rajamouli.

The filmmaker has additionally labored with Jr NTR in Simhadri (2003) and Yamadonga (2007). 

RRR additionally stars Alia Bhatt, Ajay Devgn, Shriya Saran, Rahul Ramakrishna, Rajeev Kanakala, Samuthirakani and British actors Ray Stevenson, Alison Doody and Olivia Morris. The movie was launched in India on March 25 final yr. It began streaming on Netflix a few months later and ultimately premiered on different OTT platforms too.