Ratna Pathak Shah calls RRR ‘regressive’: It looks backwards when we should look forward

Ratna Pathak Shah has called the year’s biggest blockbuster RRR a “regressive film”. She said that until filmmakers don’t see their work critically, the audience will have to keep watching films like the SS Rajamouli film. The film collected over ₹1200 worldwide post its release in March this year and has bagged two Golden Globe nominations and five nods for Critics Choice Awards. Also read: Critics Choice Awards 2023: RRR creates history with five nominations including Best Picture, see full list

RRR stars Ram Charan and Jr NTR as real-life revolutionaries Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem respectively. It is set in the pre-independence era and also stars Ajay Devgn and Alia Bhatt in pivotal roles.

Ratna Pathak Shah talked about the film at a book launch. According to a Free Press Journal report, the actor said, “Films like RRR are so popular today. But it’s a regressive film. It looks backwards while we should look forward. We just feel whatever we are doing is good because we are part of the mother of democracy — India.”

“Until filmmakers will not see their work critically, we will have to watch films like RRR. But we don’t like criticism. Our ego gets hurt, This atmosphere is created by so many big people and unfortunately, we have accepted it,” she added.

Ratna is currently awaiting the release of her Gujarati film Kutch Express. Directed by Viral Shah, the film marks her debut in Gujarati cinema. It also features Manasi Parekh, Darsheel Safary and Dharmendra Gohil in pivotal roles.

Talking about the film, she had said in a statement last month, “I’ve been looking forward to doing a Gujarati film for a long time, but couldn’t find anything really interesting. Then came this film with a good script & a good team & to be shot in Kutch so this was irresistible.”

“It also happened to be a film that had a point to make & was not sentimental or regressive. An unusual opportunity,” she added. The film will release theatrically on January 6, 2023.

This year, Ratna was seen in John Abraham-starrer Attack and Ranveer Singh-starrer Jayeshbhai Jordaar. In the latter, she played the role of a Gujarati mother who wanted her daughter-in-law to abort her girl child. Ratna is known for her roles in TV show Sarabhai VS Sarabhai and films like Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na, Golmaal 3, Kapoor & Sons and Khoobsurat.