RRR: India’s improbable Oscar contender

RRR has emerged as an unexpected dark horse in this year’s awards season in Hollywood.

The three-hour long, maximalist action epic directed by SS Rajamouli is one of the most expensive and highest-grossing films in the history of Indian cinema. It features NT Rama Rao Jr. and Ram Charan, two of the most famous actors in the country, and it dominated the streaming rankings on Netflix during the summer.

It has received a great deal of appreciation from a variety of people, including J. J. Abrams and Jessica Chastain. The joyous song “Naatu Naatu” earned the film the Golden Globe for best original song, and it was nominated for five Critics’ Choice Awards, including the award for best picture.

However, the Academy Awards do not often consider films from other countries or extreme action flicks for its top awards. And RRR can’t win the Oscar for best international feature picture since India instead chose to enter Pan Nalin’s Chhello Show, which is a far more subdued film. There is still a little chance that the film will be nominated for an Academy Award in the category of best picture.

Rama Rao Jr. and Charan traveled to Los Angeles in order to give their film one last push. While there, they attended packed screenings for potential award voters, mingled with celebrities such as Cate Blanchett at parties, and walked the grey carpet at the Golden Globes. In addition, they attended a screening at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood that featured a riotous dance party during the Naatu Naatu scene.

They sat down for a joint interview with The Associated Press to explore their real-life connection, Rajamouli’s ideas of a sequel, and the importance of bridging the gap between the film industries of different countries across the world.

The responses have been condensed and modified for better readability.