India’s “RRR” is an unlikely outsider in the Hollywood awards race

LOS ANGELES – Hollywood’s awards season has found an unlikely outsider in “RRR”.

SS Rajamouli is three hours maximalist action epic is one of the most expensive and highest grossing Indian films of all time. It pairs two of the country’s biggest stars, NT Rama Rao Jr. and Ram Charan, and topped the Netflix streaming charts over the summer.

It has been showered with praise from the likes of JJ Abrams and Jessica Chastain. It won Best Original Song at the Golden Globes for the exuberant “Naatu Naatu” and was nominated for five Critics Choice Awards, including Best Picture.

But the Academy Awards generally eschews foreign films and over-the-top action films in key categories. And ” RRR” He cannot win the international feature film Oscar because India submitted Pan Nalin’s much calmer “Chhello Show” instead. A nomination for Best Picture at the Oscars is a long way off.

To give their film a final boost, Rama Rao Jr. and Charan traveled to Los Angeles to walk the gray carpet at the Globes, mingle with the likes of Cate Blanchett at parties, and attend packed screenings for potential award contenders, including one at the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood showed a boisterous dance party during the “Naatu Naatu” scene.

They sat down with The Associated Press for a joint interview to discuss their real-life relationship, Rajamouli’s discussions about a sequel and bridging the world’s film industries.

Responses have been edited for brevity and clarity.

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AP: The film was a huge hit when it opened in India, but it was a slow dip in terms of western audiences who caught on through word of mouth and watched it on Netflix. How did you experience that?

RAMA RAO JR.: You really don’t get to know what’s actually going on in the minds of the audience when people watch movies on Netflix. But our breakthrough came when we saw Mr. Rajamouli at a demonstration at TCL (in September). And the answer – he got a standing ovation. I think that was the beginning of us starting to know that the West had taken “RRR” to its heart. And I wish we were both there. But I think that was our first breakthrough – and social media.

CHARAN: It’s so satisfying to see every reaction. Everything we performed for was appreciated. And the reactions were just priceless. Yes, it was like a slow burn. But it’s still like another feather in a hat for us.

AP: Ram Charan, you were in production on your next film for at least part of this time. How did you keep in touch with your “RRR” brothers?

CHARAN: The “RRR” journey started in 2018 and now it’s 2023 and we’re still in touch. I think we just took an amicable break that we needed time away from each other because we were so in love with each other.

RAMA RAO JR.: We were so in love with each other. How into each other.

AP: Rajamouli is talking about a sequel, but you two are probably booked?

CHARAN: No. We would delete the calendar.

RAMA RAO JR.: We’re deleting the calendar. But unfortunately we have no idea about that. We have no idea about “RRR 2” until he spoke about it. So when you interview him you should really get the clarity from him so we know when it’s going to start so we can keep our calendar clear.

AP: Was it something that was discussed when the film was finished?

CHARAN: No. Nothing. We first heard it when he spoke to you. I mean we don’t joke about it. We never talked about it.

RAMA RAO JR: And he never tells us anything.

CHARAN: Yes, everything is a surprise.

RAMA RAO JR: I would say it’s a bad thing. i hate surprises Maybe Charan likes her.

CHARAN: He knows we erase the calendars whenever he calls us. He takes us for granted in this regard. (laughs)

AP: How important is the political message of the film and the timing of its release to you?

CHARAN: Personally, I feel like the film was more about brotherhood than nationalism or patriotism. It was in the background. Obviously it’s the era we chose, the director chose the feeling of nationalism that runs under water, like under the carpet. But what you actually see is a fully fledged fictional story.

RAMA RAO JR: Bromance.

CHARAN: Bromance derived from two historical characters, legends. But at the end of the day, we don’t play a part in the story. It is Mr. Rajamouli’s interpretation and his fictional thoughts and writing with his father.

RAMA RAO JR.: Rajamouli as such, I really don’t think he makes films because he wants to send a message. For him it’s all about telling stories and making entertainment… To tell this story he chose a time frame when India was ruled by the British Empire. yes easy Otherwise there was no news. But yeah, it was more about two friends – their egos, their worldview, each other, how they grew together, how they were apart, how they came together. How they drifted apart, broke up and got back together and grew in strength individually in their lives.

AP: And how much does that sort of “get together, break up, get back together” kind of reflect your own real-world relationship between the two of you?

RAMA RAO JR.: I don’t think we ever acted in the film. I think that’s us.

CHARAN: Yes, but we’ve never had such bad misunderstandings and breakups where we’ve fought. But yes, we are very close. The characters we played were very close. With all the good, good parts of the movie, that’s pretty much what we share in real life too.

AP: What are the goals for being in Hollywood? For example, would you like to star in a Quentin Tarantino film?

CHARAN: Absolutely. I mean it’s always there. Like I said, coming to LA wasn’t our goal, but we ended up here. So let’s take it as it goes. And of course we want to experience the great directors of LA and Hollywood and I want them to experience us as actors too and share some cultural ideas and stories between East and West. I would of course like to explore it. And (Tarantino) is one of my favorite directors.

RAMA RAO JR.: We come from families that have been in the business for a very long time, but our entry into the film business was never planned for either of us. It was just very random. And coincidentally we’re here today talking about movies in LA. So, yes, we are actors that I think with “RRR” we pushed the boundaries of these imaginary borders of the eastern film industry and the western film industry. I think we erased that a bit. And it’s a big good crossover. There’s so much talent here. There’s so much talent in there. I think everyone should come together. Avatar 2 is making phenomenal numbers in India. So does Avengers: Endgame. I think it’s high time we all work together and start making films for global audiences.

CHARAN: We are waiting for the day when all the “forests” are burned and there is a global cinema.

AP: Was it strange that most viewers experienced the film through the Hindi version on Netflix?

CHARAN: But luckily we dubbed all the languages. That was actually us.

RAMA RAO JR.: So Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, whatever – it was our voice. So that made us happy. But yes, I would say maybe it should have appeared in Telugu as well. This is now, this is me, very, very, very emotional about being a Telugu person. But other than that, “RRR” resembles India and in whatever language, I’m glad it’s reached audiences.

AP: What have your family members said about this strange journey you are on with “RRR”?

CHARAN: I think they’re happier than we are.

RAMA RAO JR.: I wish my grandfather could have seen it. Of course he’s gone. But the family was very supportive and excited. Everyone is excited. Who wouldn’t?

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Follow AP Entertainment writer Ryan Pearson on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/ryanwrd