Since its arrival on Netflix, it has positioned itself among the most viewed in a non-English language.
After Hollywood, perhaps the second most important industry in terms of its level of production and revenue is that of India. It is not called Bollywood for nothing, a film mecca that produces around two thousand feature films a year.
Although it is a well-established industry with mechanisms that make it buoyant, not all of its productions manage to be successful on this continent. Therefore, every time a new work becomes successful or viral it is a good time to take a look at that production.
That is the case of RRR, the new work by Indian film director SS Rajamouli, which after a successful run in films in India and the United States, arrived on Netflix a few weeks ago and has quickly become popular with viewers.
To date, the film has grossed more than $160 million worldwide. It broke several box office records and is currently one of the five highest-grossing films in Indian history.
During its first weeks on the streaming system, the almost three-hour-long feature film was ranked among the 10 best non-English language films on Netflix. It is currently one of the 10 most popular films in 62 countries. The film is available in 15 languages on the online platform.
The film tells the stories of Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheeem, two revolutionary men who fought against the English colonial rule in India during the 1920s, which was also known as the British Raj.
After the kidnapping of a girl belonging to a marginalized tribe, Bheem travels to Delhi to rescue her. On his journey, he will meet Rama Raju, a Raj official who is after him to put him in jail. A friendship will emerge between them, but once the truths of both come to light there will be sides and decisions to be made.
RRR is based on Hindu mythology and freedom fighters who fought against British colonialism. The plot of this film is fictional.
The film has some special effects that make the film similar to a Hollywood superhero film. But it is also deeply connected to Indian mythology and current conditions.
RRR stands for Rise Roar Revolt. It also refers to Rajamouli and his two stars, NT Rama Rao Jr. and Ram Charan. This is Charan and Rao's first film together. They both come from very successful families in the film industry.
Rajamouli, 48, has become one of the country's best-known directors. He released his two-part epic Baahubali in 2015. The second part, which came out in 2017, is the country's biggest box office hit.
Meanwhile, Baahubali was a hit in Telugu, the most expensive Telugu film ever made, with a budget of $72 million. Its success was a sign that Tollywood in South India had possibly overtaken Bollywood as the country's leading film factory.
Rajamouli told Indiwire a few days ago that the global popularity of this film surprised him. The director is already working on his next film. He is often asked if he would ever like to make a Hollywood movie. RRR, however, suggests that Western film buffs are interested in Indian films and Rajamouli's aim is to make Indian films for India and the world.
