Friends of bombastic action movies should pay special attention to a director from India. His past works make one look forward to the recently announced latest film and leave MeinMMO author Christoph Waldboth hoping it will be completely exaggerated again.
When was the last time you asked yourself while watching a movie: What am I seeing?
I can easily answer this question. With every single work of the Indian director S.S. Rajamouli. If this name means nothing to you: Rajamouli has been making films in India since 2001 and belongs to the so-called Telugu cinema, a counterpart to the much more famous Bollywood.
The director became more popular in the West with his two Baahubali films (2015 & 2017), and he really broke through with his epic RRR, which is available on Netflix. This very film is highly recommended, especially if you enjoy action movies that throw any realism out the window and are as crazy as they come.
Are you looking for more action movies? MeinMMO has a suitable list full of recommendations.
The story of a friendship
What is RRR about? The film tells the story of Komaram Bheem, a warrior who meets Alluri Sitarama Raju, an Indian soldier. The two become good friends, but when it is revealed that Raju has been assigned to hunt Bheem down, a temporary rift ensues.
Honestly: The story of RRR is quite secondary. Yes, it tells of friendship and loyalty, of good and evil, but essentially it’s just the basis to stage creative and pretty wacky action scenes.
This was also the case in the two Baahubali films – historical epics, where the word “historical” is to be seen in thick quotation marks. RRR is also set in the past, in the year 1920, but takes great liberties when it comes to portraying that time.
The fascinating part of this film is the fight scenes, which often unfold in slow motion and provide one climax after another. Anyone who thought the action in John Wick was exaggerated will be proven wrong by S.S. Rajamouli. Here, cool guys fly through the air, throw motorcycles, and fight tigers, while beautiful women gaze at them longingly – anyone who has a problem with clichés and stereotypical representations should steer clear of these movies.
However, those who can overlook this will experience spectacular three hours, accompanied by catchy melodies and songs. As is often the case in Indian cinema, singing and dancing occur between fights – or even during them. This even led to an Oscar for the best song Naatu Naatu.
The madness continues
What’s next? A few days ago, the first trailer for S.S. Rajamouli’s new film was released and made my heart race immediately. I actually don’t have that much of a fondness for action movies, but the films of this director push the right buttons for me.
The trailer for Varanasi to the World is very cryptic, but again shows the usual visually stunning imagery. Here, a meteorite crashes to earth, wild herds of animals roam the savannah, and a huge mythical creature walks across a battlefield …
Honestly, that’s enough for me to stir anticipation within me. The film will again be very action-packed and tells a story that will take the protagonists around the globe. As usual, elements from Indian culture and mythology are expected to play a major role.
Unfortunately, fans of the director will have to wait a bit longer, as Varanasi of the World is not set to hit theaters until 2027. However, thanks to the popularity of S.S. Rajamouli, it is very likely that the film will also be released simultaneously in the West. Perhaps again on Netflix, but I rather hope that we will be able to admire the new epic in cinemas. Action can also be found in a current game, and accordingly, we recommend some movies: 7 movies if you want to dive deeply into Wuxia after Where Winds Meet
