These are not the best of times for movie makers who are reeling under the impact of the current monstrous pandemic . No one feels the pinch harder in the Indian entertainment than Baahubali director S S Rajamouli. His post-Baahubali opus RRR a lavish period drama featuring Telugu superstars Ramcharan Teja and NTR Jr along with Bollywood superstars Ajay Devgan and Alia Bhatt, has faced persistent rough weather due to the pandemic.
The film’s release date has been postponed repeatedly. Now the most recent release date 13 October stands annulled.
One of the actors from the project tells me, “It’s not only the escalation in Covid cases and the casualties. Now one of the film’s leading men(NTR Jr) has tested positive. Prior to him Ramcharan tested postitive.Alia who is yet to start shooting with Rajamouli, had also been tested positive for Covid.”
Where does that leave RRR?
“Not in a very happy place, I’m afraid,” the actor informs. There is still a lot of shooting remaining. Even if the Covid crisis improves by October there is no way Raja Sir can complete and release the film on time(in October).”
The source hazards an intelligent guess about the possible release date of RRR. “Not before January 2022, and that is a conservative estimate.The delay can be much much more.”
All we can say to that is, all good things take their own sweet time.