S.S. Rajamouli, who is basking in the attention that his magnum opus 'RRR' is getting after the Golden Globe win of 'Naatu Naatu', has set the record straight for American journalists. He has made it clear to them that the film is not a Bollywood movie, but "a Telugu film that comes from the south of India".
Rajamouli was speaking to a group of journalists, following the screening of his film at the Directors Guild of America. The director said: "RRR is not a Bollywood film, it is a Telugu film from the south of India where I come from, but I use the song to move the story forward rather than stopping the film and giving you a piece of music and dance. I just use those elements to move the story forward."
He added: "At the end of the film, if you say I didn't feel it like for three hours, then I know I am a successful filmmaker."
Rajamouli's magnum opus is all over the news as the song 'Naatu Naatu' from 'RRR' won the Golden Globe Award in the Best Original Song category. The song defeated the likes of Rihanna's 'Lift Me Up' from 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' and Taylor Swift's 'Carolina' from 'Where the Crawdads Sing'.
At the Golden Globe Award, when Rajamouli was asked about the audience started dancing to 'Naatu, Naatu' on the aisles, he said, "Isn't that great? To take the audience out of their seats and make them dance," adding. "I think it comes from the joy of film watching."
He noted: "I don't think America has ever seen that kind of reaction from the audience. Back in India we do. ... Humans are humans across the globe wherever they are."
Talking about the attention RRR is getting and the Oscar season buzz it has created, Rajamouli said: "It really feels great. In India, we make thousands of movies but we hardly get any recognition outside our country. If it puts the spotlight on our films and helps our filmmakers take our stories to the world, it'll be really great."
And who'll be partying after the show? "My stars, R and Charan, they'll be having the most fun," Rajamouli said. "I'm usually the guy who's tensed up about whether everything is going to happen properly ... and on time."
