PremiumNEW DELHI: Upcoming period drama RRR, directed by SS Rajamouli, may get pushed beyond October, thanks to the indefinite delay in projects caused by covid. Jr. NTR, however, unveiled his first look from the film where he plays a fictitious freedom fighter Komaram Bheem. The film will also feature Ram Charan, Ajay Devgn, and Alia Bhatt.
RRR, which will see Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, and Telugu versions on theatrical release, has already made ₹350 crore by selling theatrical, satellite TV and digital streaming rights across all languages to Pen Studios. The film is slated for release on 13 October but may have to be pushed due to prevailing uncertainty around the theatrical business in India.
RRR is a fictional story of India's freedom fighters, Alluri Sitarama Raju (Charan) and Komaram Bheem (NTR) who fought against the British Raj and Nizam of Hyderabad, respectively.
To be sure, many filmmakers and stars from southern cinema are eyeing pan-Indian audiences beyond their native zones through massy, universally appealing films especially post the covid-19 pandemic. Made on budgets of more than ₹200 crore each, these movies will be shot in multiple languages including Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, among others and feature a mix of Bollywood and south Indian faces to draw on fan bases across states and geographies.
Baahubali star Prabhas is slated to feature in a mythological historical drama called Adipurush for which he will be joined by Bollywood actors Saif Ali Khan and Kriti Sanon. Meanwhile, Deepika Padukone and Amitabh Bachchan will be seen with Prabhas in a film bankrolled by Telugu production house Vyjayanthi Movies.
Trade experts point out that the pandemic has reiterated the importance of big-ticket films. Be it Baahubali, Saaho or Hollywood spectacles like Avengers: Endgame, audiences know that the thrill of watching a big-ticket, larger-than-life experience is unmatched, even though OTT (over-the-top) streaming platforms have thrown up compelling content consistently.
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