The one conclusion that could be comfortably drawn from Applause Entertainment’s outstanding docu-pic on S S Rajamouli in the Grand Masters series is: family first. It is amazing how the maverick filmmaker’s entire family from father wife and son to cousins and other relatives work with him to bring his celluloid dreams to fruition.
Says Rajamouli, “The one thing I’m very clear about is that my films would not be possible without a strong support system. My family is an integral and indispensable part of my creative process.”
Modern Masters : S S Rajamouli reveals a filmmaker so consumed with his art that he transforms into a different entity on a film set. This is revealed by a multiplicity of his actors and collaborators in the documentary including the two RRR leads Ramcharan and NTR Jr.
Interest in this Rajamouli truth-art , co-produced by Applause Entertainment and (now closed) Film Companion is global.
A source from the team who wishes not to be named reveals, “Choosing Rajamouli as the first in the Grand Masters series was a strategic decision. Several names were suggested as the opener. Like Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Karan Johar, Anurag Kashyap and Ashutosh Gowariker. When the names were put forward globally, the unanimous name as the series opener was Rajamouli.”
Reacting to the honour, Rajamouli says, “I have never thought about how popular I am, or one day a film will be made on my life. I don’t find myself interesting enough for that kind of scrutiny. I am flattered and grateful that people are interested not only in my work, but also me. I don’t think I am interesting. But I make sure that my films are.”
Grand Masters: S S Rajamouli streams from August 2 on Netflix. Besides Rajamouli’s professional collaborators we also get to hear Rajamouli’s close blood relatives in the outstanding documentary, one of them being music composer M M Keeravani who has the rare distinction of being both a collaborator with and a cousin to Rajamouli.
