The thought of bringing two powerhouses together for a long time, that excites me very much
but when the thought of RRR came, of bringing on these two superheroes I was really, really
excited and RRR happened
With Ajay sir, long and short is not the issue, its the respect I have towards him. When we
made the story and we have written the character of Ajay sir in the film and then we went
into the casting part of it
Its the ripple of RRR of me getting a call from Shankar sir or he getting a call from
Prashanth Neel, he is working with him. All this because they
see an advantage after RRR and markets have increased
You have asked him a question and he is not giving you right information but I will tell you
2026 will be the release
I have a spoiler there; I know the opening sequence of Sukumar and Charan’s film
Hi guys this is Himesh and welcome to Pinkvilla. Today we have with us the team of the
biggest Indian film. Yes, we are talking about RRR. Welcome to Pinkvilla, Rajamouli sir, JR. NTR and Ram Charan sir.
Thank you. Its lovely having you here.
Sir, my first question is to Rajamouli sir, after Bahubali there might have been many ideas
that you must have come across. What made you choose RRR as a follow up to that?
Yeah, you are right. I considered many storylines but the way I work is like I just think about
a story line and see what is interesting in it but it has to get hooked onto me. I should be
thinking about it again and again and the story line has to move me towards making that film
so RRR is the story line because I had the thought of bringing two powerhouses together for a
long time, that excites me very much but when the thought of RRR came, of bringing on
these two superheroes I was really, really excited and RRR happened
And you know sir described both of you as two superheroes and you know two hero films
you know they are always, there is so much conjecture around two hero films. You don’t see
two superstars coming together for a film. How did you first react when sir told you that you
know you both are doing this, he wants the two of you to do this film?
Surprised. Super surprised. Pleasantly surprised and shocked. Happy. Excited. Yeah, every
outstanding reaction we had. Proud. Because yeah, I think post RRR we will be the brand
ambassadors of collaboration of two stars.
He didn’t just bought two of us together he bought the old idea of tradition of having to see two stars and
Was there ever a double thought because you came
back like you said it’s after a long time that two big heroes are coming together?
Yes, I had this thought. A, I have to deal with Rajamouli and I will have to feal with him also
No, I didn’t have any thought because he is going to deal with him and I just have to deal
with him. We are anyway dealing with each other before RRR also
And sir you know remember around 2, two and a half years back when the film was
announced you said that you want to paint the canvas with a fresh brush and now when we
see the visuals, we see what you meant. So, could you tell us something about this vision of
bringing a new way of picturising the entire film in a period setup?
The story happens in pre independent era so the period set up comes in. When you take two
real-life characters and make a fictional story out of it which itself is a very exciting thought
then you set your own rules and regulations for the film. You set your tone for that. The
challenge is that it has to be believable for the audience which we have to work very hard to
make it believable but also the sky is the limit. You can do whatever you want. From
childhood I was told the stories of our historical freedom fighters and as a child they told me
that they are like demigods, they are walking the sky would rumble, the earth quake and all.
Then later on as I grew up, I saw the visuals of British historians and it paints India in a
dusty, poverty stricken you know which is not what I heard, that is not what you told me as a
child. You told me as a child you gave me a different picture. What is in my mind that I am
going to present to the audience so that is very, very exciting to me
And you know this question is for all three of you, again its something that Rajamouli sir said
during Bahubali. Stardom is like a bow and it is all about the right archer and if the archer is
right, it will always hit the bull’s eye. How do the three of you define heroism? Like what
does heroism mean for the three of you?
For me, a hero should be super strong, physically, mentally, he should be able to bring the
sky to the earth or vice versa. He should so vulnerable that any person can easily connect to
him, that contrast of being strong and vulnerabilities is what makes a hero for me
For me, a hero is he should have this approach of normalcy. He strength should not be
boasted, should be a very normal person but when the time is right, he should be ready to
pounce and do justice. Very comic book hero.
That’s what we see in your films as well like so many of your films.
But I mean like seriously Avengers, there are all people like us, normal people and when the
time is right, they have to bring their abnormacly out.
Actually, that’s hero.
And Ram Charan?
I think if you remember the movie Spiderman, the guy is such a normal guy who lives with
his grandparents then he gets whatever powers and then he empathises with what’s happening
around in the city and to have that empathy in you, just to have a listening ear, when you listen to
people and if you can make a difference to their life in any small way or a big way that is a
hero by yourself. You can be a hero in your gully, in your apartment, just if you have a nice
empathetic side to you, you could be a hero every day.
Actually, a very interesting perspective from all three of you
But if you actually put it together it’s the same
And sir you both have such tremendous fan following and you know fans tend to go
emotional as well multiple times. How do you deal with that? We saw it at event that
happened few days back and the fans went bezerk so how do
you deal with that aspect of stardom that comes?
I think you know that’s what legacy is all about. You know when we were kids, we knew
what our predecessors were like his father for him, my grandfather for me, my uncle. We
have seen them handling it and it is not something new we are handling; we have seen that.
We have seen how they have handled stardom, fandom. We learnt from them and we have bit
of our newness to it. We maintain the connection with them, we bond with them and we
support them in a lot of ways where you know it become like a big family, they have become
like family members where we discuss and talk. If there’s anything right, its right. If
something’s wrong, its wrong. There is no grey, its black or white. So that way I think we are able to handle
They are family remember like he said who we don’t talk to on an everyday basis, we don’t
meet every day but it’s an unseen love I mean you cannot see that love on an everyday basis
but they are a responsibility. What they shower upon us every time we meet them. That
brings a sense of responsibly in us, we have to wake up with a cause like we just cannot wake
up into nothing. There is so many people waiting to work and personally also there is a
decorum that we should be maintaining and not be so careless so they have always been a
great push, they have always in my lowest time also I can imagine one of the events and
functions and how they adore us and that was like a booster
for me to wake up and say c’mon let’s do something new and be proud of
And Rajamouli sir you know you have a long association with Ajay sir, he was a part of
Makkhi as well and now there is RRR. Could you tell us
something about the association that
the two of you have and can we expect a full-fledged film with the two of you?
Yeah, definitely. Why not?
With Ajay sir, long and short is not the issue, it’s the respect I have towards him. When we
made the story and we have written the character of Ajay sir in the film and then we went
into the casting part of it, we discussed my direction department, my story department we
discussed like see what do we, what kind of actor do we need for this role? So, we need an
actor whose face oozes honesty. Then I said write down the names. At the top of everyone’s
list was Ajay Devgn. Some people wrote only Ajay Devgn, some people wrote few names
but the top name was Ajay Devgn. So that’s how important for me his character was in my
film so I approached him, I narrated him the story and he said, he liked it and the only thing
he asked me was, when do you require my dates? That’s the first thing he asked me. So, he
was immediately on, it was fantastic working with him. Now when do I make a full-fledged
film with him? When I have the character that excites me first and then excites him next. I
won’t approach him because we have a connection. I will approach him when I have a
character you know otherwise it would be an insult to him. When I go with a right script to
him then I will earn his respect, I would like to keep that respect like that.
And sir you know just yesterday and today there was that entire big clutter in Telegu industry
and now it is just RRR which is going to enjoy the Sankranti weekend. What do you have to
say about the solo release and the fact that entire industry has actually come together for what
we call the biggest film of?
It’s beautiful you know so we have Producers Guild, where all the working producers came
together and formed a Guild to discuss their problems that they face and sort out any issues
between them if they have. So, they came together and they sat together. Once the pandemic
happened all of us know there is going to have a bottle neck, everyone knew that. So, it is just
matter of sitting and discussing if everyone comes together, everyone gets affected. If we can
space out the everyone can benefit. I think it is a primarily the efforts of the Guild that made it
possible and I thank all the producers who maintained a healthy atmosphere in the industry.
Its is not an easy thing to do because for every producer his film is like the most important
thing and everyone has put money, blood, sweat into it but to be sensible enough and make
space for everyone is job of the Producers Guild
And Ram Charan sir, you are working with Rajamouli sir over here, then you have a Beast
with Shankar sir, then there is a film with, there are so many. I think you are also doing a film
with Kotak, no that's him. Your film with Shankar sir and Gowtam Tinnanuri. So could you
tell us something about your line-up and the idea of going
PAN India and there is of course a film with
Nothing more, nothing less, whatever you said is my line-up and I am very fortunate of
course all of them, Shankar also I always tell my friends its because of RRR and Rajamouli
sir that he has made us PAN Indian actors today and the budgets have become more
comfortable for a producer or a director who wants to work with us and it’s the ripple of RRR
of me getting a call from Shankar sir or he getting a call from Prashanth Neel, he is working
with him. All this because they see an advantage after RRR and
markets have increased. All thanks to him
I disagree with that. Of course, RRR might help in making it easier but the kind of work that
they put in for all these years, the kind of actors they are, the kind of fandom they have, now
every director wants to work with them. I know for a fact that because I am a director and I
like to work with them. Of course, RRR might have made their decisions easier but I think it
is their career of so many years and wonderful roles that they have played is what got their chances
Even Sukumar sir has a film for, I was interacting with him
yesterday and he said he has a film for you. So could you tell us something on
That’s been in the cards while I was working on Rangasthalam. We liked our association so
much, I really enjoyed working with him and that’s why it is, the final result was like that. So
obviously I will love to work with him again.
I have a spoiler there; I know the opening sequence of Sukumar and Charan’s film.
Obviously, I am not going to reveal it or Sukumar is going to have a heart attack. That will be
one of the most hard hitting, audience will quiver in their seats when they see the opening
sequence of Sukumar and Charan’s film
And last question for NTR sir and Rajamouli sir, you have a massive line-up. You are doing a
film with Koratala Siva after Janatha Garage, you have a Prashanth Neel film. Could you tell
us something, could you take us through your line-up even
you are going Pan India after RRR with the film so?
Yes, you know I agree to everything Charan has said about being PAN Indian actor now,
everything what Rajamouli also said about how RRR has helped us with auditions right and
it’s a ripple effect. Well, films are in the line-up. I have Siva’s, I have Prashanth’s and many
more to come but I’d like to stick to RRR as of now and then reserve our conversations about
the next films on when they are ready and we are ready to pounce on the world with them.
And sir, lastly, I can’t complete the interview by asking you about your film with Mahesh
Babu which is keenly awaited and could you tell us something on that as to what can we
expect, when can we expect that to
No, I am kind of this person who likes to keep all my focus, all my efforts on one film and
only after the film is completely done and finished its run only then I look into the next film.
That’s only how I have been doing. Of course, we announced a film with Mahesh, of course I
discussed with my father what kind of film we should do. We have few ideas but I didn’t dig
deep into it because I don’t have to dig deep into it. It will be an exciting project definitely
otherwise obviously we will not take it up and also, I should thank Mahesh. He was the first
person to unclutter the Pongal season. He was gracious
enough and also think logically and create that healthy atmosphere
But you have asked him a question and he is not giving you right information but I will tell you
2026 will be the release
2025 for sure. In 25’ again you will be sitting and interviewing him but with Mahesh
And were you surprised when Salman sir announced Bajrangi Bhaijaan on the RRR event?
It was great. I am happy that my father is writing it. Yeah, its great. Everyone loves Bhaijaan,
everyone likes Salman Bhai as Bhaijaan and Bajrangi adds to his persona. And forget
everyone, I am eagerly looking forward to
And last words on RRR before singing off? In terms of what is the USP of the film for each of you
All of us, I don’t think it is just me that likes to see two powerhouses coming together on a
bigger, better, hard hitting, emotions. Everyone would like to see that. It’s been quite a wild
kind of thing that happened in India. No, we have RRR and there are numerous, numerous
sequences that will keep you excited. I can say every ten minutes there will be emotional high
and there is a beautiful thread that connects all the sequences
and you will get your money’s worth of entertainment.
Cut, copy, paste
Perfect. Thank you so much guys. It was lovely talking to you and wish you all the best for the film
Thank you Himesh, thank you so much
Hi this is S.S Rajamouli. If you like the video
Hi this is NTR, like
Hi this is Ram Charan, if you like it, subscribe it
To Pinkvilla