S S Rajamouli, NTR and Ram Charan on filming ‘RRR’ in Ukraine and why their film should be viewed as dramatised fiction and not a chapter from history

A portion of S S Rajamouli’s magnum opus RRR, scheduled to release in five languages on March 25, was filmed in the now war-torn Ukraine. Rajamouli and actors NTR and Ram Charan have been in touch with the Ukraine team, even after the war. Fielding a query from The Hindu during a focussed media interaction in Hyderabad, the trio recalled the filming experience and stated that they were insulated from the tension that was building up in the nation. “When I returned to India, my friends asked how we managed to film there. We did not face any difficulty back then,” says Rajamouli. The director has been in touch with his Ukrainian driver and other unit members and adds, “Their stories are heart-wrenching. I hope things turn for the better.”

NTR remembers being in awe of the Ukraine dancers matching steps for the ‘Naatu Naatu’ song, learning the moves that were new to them: “The unit members were friendly, professional, and Charan and I were impressed by their culture, warmth and food. It is not among the most active film shooting destinations, but they are technically sound and curious to learn.”

Charan rates Ukraine among the best countries he has filmed thus far. He contacted his security in charge once the war broke out and learnt that “his 85-year-old father is also holding a gun and is on the streets. The least I could do from here is help monetarily. None of them deserves to go through all this. I hope peace is restored.” 

NTR, S S Rajamouli and Ram Charan
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Moving on to talk about the idea of RRR, which is a fictional story exploring the possibility of freedom fighters Alluri Seetharama Raju and Komaram Bheem having crossed paths in their younger days, Rajamouli reiterates that the film is not a fact-based biopic and needs to be viewed as dramatised fiction. Both the actors adhered to the script rather than pore over history. The dearth of documented literature on Bheem worked to his advantage, NTR states, “The lack of material gave me the freedom to interpret the character. Rajamouli knows precisely what he wants from his actors and we only had to deliver.”

The off-screen camaraderie between NTR and Ram Charan was among the reasons why they were chosen for RRR. “In addition to their stardom and acting abilities, their camaraderie was an asset,” says Rajamouli, adding, “Charan does not express emotions overtly and takes both good and bad news in his stride. NTR is a livewire and Bheem, in the script, is a man who does not hide his emotions. That also dictated why I felt they are apt for their roles.”

NTR believes that the film will pave the way for more multi-starrer films. A few years ago, two A-list stars coming together would have meant the director having to balance the screen time of the two actors. “People have moved past such notions and want to see a good film,” he says.

The subsequent lockdowns during the pandemic might have paused the film’s shooting schedules, but the team used the opportunity to take a fresh look at the script and to fine-tune the post-production: “During the third lockdown, we improved the 3D version. Usually, I am not in favour of 3D because it hampers the scale of the film. This time I relented since 3D works well for an emotional story and the audiences will get to see Charan and NTR closer than before,” Rajamouli explains. 

Poised to release on more than 6000 screens worldwide, the film also stars Alia Bhatt, Ajay Devgn, Shriya Saran among others.