“Your friendship is more valuable than this life, brother. I'll die with pride.” Komaram Bheem (N.T. Rama Rao Jr.)
Two real revolutionary fighters of 1920’s India, Bheem and Raju (Ram Charan Teja), fictionally bond in friendship and battle against British colonialism. It’s a long journey, over 3 hours, yet about as exciting and romantic as you could hope for in this time when Oscar contenders have strutted their stuff, and we are left with the B team.
Well, not quite B in this case because RRR (Rise, Roar, Revolt in the original title) has already won the Critics Choice Award for best foreign language film, and I predict it will be a nominee for Oscar as will its catchy dance tune, Naatu Naatu.
For devotees of David Lean and Quentin Tarantino, to name just a few probable influences, Tollywood productions (RRR should be called “Tollywood” because of the Telugu different from the usual Bollywood Hindi), this epic flight is full of romance, deceit, exotic fighting (enjoy the surprise jungle-beast package for the Brits), and espionage involving the Empire and India. A more prosaic hunt for an abducted young Indian girl frames the story.
The singing and dancing, common to these lavish productions, are accompanied by uncommonly charismatic actors who make the fantasy almost real with their charming performances. Part of RRR was filmed in the Ukraine, adding heft to the pride of country and anti-colonialism themes. Although the fighting is Crouching-Tiger good, the search for love, brotherhood, and family is most definitely acceptable in a melodramatic milieu.
RRR is the best of international filmmaking and a feast of cinematic excellence all in the fastest 3 hours you’ll ever see.
“He said that an Indian's Life is not worth a bullet. So how will this bullet earn its value? When it comes out of your gun and pierces an Englishman's heart.” Raju
On Netflix
John DeSando, a Los Angeles Press Club first-place winner for National Entertainment Journalism, hosts NPR’s It’s Movie Time and hosts Cinema Classics as well as podcasts Back Talk and Double Take out of WCBE 90.5 FM. Contact him at JohnDeSando52@gmail.com
