A note of desperate anxiety crept into the promotions of the new Prabhas starrer as the day of release approached. The advance booking counters in the Hindi belt showed a downward spiral during the days approaching the release.
In sheer desperation Prabhas has now shouted out to his dear friend S S Rajamouli to help promote Radhe Shyam.
A reliable source from Hyderabad informs, “Prabhas called Rajamouli saying he was worried about Radhe Shyam specially in the Hindi belt. Rajamouli suggested that he do an interview with Prabhas on Radhe Shyam. Prabhas was game.”
Directors roping in to actors to promote their films together is not unknown. But a filmmaker being called in to promote a film that he has not directed is almost unheard of.
In the interview Prabhas can be seen teasingly asking his best friend Rajamouli why Prabhas is not part of RRR. “Even a small cameo, since we are old friends? I think your like NTR Jr and Ramcharan more than me.”
This is all in jest, please note.So no scoops here. The thing to note is that Prabhas and Rajamouli are very old friends.The friendship goes back to long before Baahubali.
Baahubali was planned with Prabhas from the start. I remember when director S S Rajamouli told me about the project the first time, I asked him why he didn’t opt for a Bollywood A-lister to give it a pan-India feel and appeal.
Rajamouli had patiently explained that it was a commitment he had made to the actor.
Rajamouli used the word ‘commitment’ as if I need to study it properly before questioning it. “When one is committed to do something, nothing else matters. Whether Prabhas is known outside the South or not is irrelevant to me.I can assure you he will be known all over the world after Baahubali,” Rajamouli snubbed me politely.
No truer prophecy in the history of Indian cinema