As Ram Charan-Jr NTR’s ‘RRR’ emerges as Oscar season favorite across US, with Pakistani Punjabi film ‘Joyland’ giving it tough competition, influential ‘Rolling Stone’ magazine hails it as an “epic Tollywood blockbuster”. has been named. Among the 22 best movies of 2022.
The SS Rajamouli-directed historical adventure drama is in The Patrician Company on the international list. Among the titles sharing the list with ‘RRR’ is Steven Spielberg’s ‘The Fablemans’ at number 1. 15 (‘RRR’ is at No. 12), the much-acclaimed ‘Tar’ (about the downfall of the famous female conductor of a classical orchestra, Lydia Tarr, played by Cate Blanchett) is at No. 1. 11, The Banshees of Inishrin starring Colin Farrell (No. 8), Jailed Iranian director Jafar Panahi’s ‘No Bears’ (No. 5), Park Chan-wook’s Cannes favorite, ‘Decision to Leave’ (No. 3) , and the list topper ‘Hit the Road’, debutant Panah Panahi, Zafar’s son’s film.
Here’s what ‘Rolling Stone’ had to say about ‘RRR’: “A tattered, shirtless man survives a mid-air collision between an angry wolf and an even more angry tiger. A sinking raft, a burning Trains, a horse, a rescue mission are involved. A motorcycle, some rope and the flag of India. A dance-off, complete with some highly choreographed suspender-based moves, which as class-conscious f*** gets doubled.
“Bromantic montages, slo-mo brooding, flashbacks that form their own short films, a man shooting an arrow through a tree trunk into another man’s head, and an acrobatic sequence in which the protagonists are at their best.” Fighting with soldiers sitting on friend’s shoulders.
“These are just some of the things you’ll see in SS Rajamouli’s Tollywood blockbuster, although it seems strange to refer to it as a ‘blockbuster’. The bond between the British Raj and an undercover police officer (Ram Charan) for the British Raj Portraying the rural revolutionary (NT Rama Rao Jr.) he is trying to bust, ‘Rise, Roar, Revolt”s fit-to-burst story felt like you were stepping into a century’s worth of rush three-plus hours. Worthy mainline cinematic epics.
A nod from ‘Rolling Stone’ may not guarantee an Oscar, but it gives you an idea of the kind of critical acclaim ‘RRR’ is receiving from the western media as well as international film personalities.
‘Rolling Stone’ editors admit they don’t have a complete list, but the films based on it are a good reason for moviegoers not to lose hope in the power of movies to keep coming back to theaters. Contrary to dire predictions from industry pundits.
To quote the words of ‘Rolling Stone’: “Yes, the big picture view of big pictures sometimes seemed terrifying. But once again, the movies delivered. Movies aren’t dead. They’re not even past.”