No time to run down other films, hope all do well: Rajamouli on ‘RRR’-‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ clash

PTI, Oct 29, 2021, 4:14 PM IST

Mumbai: Filmmaker SS Rajamouli says he is not bothered about the box office clash between his ambitious drama ”Rise Roar Revolt” (RRR) and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ”Gangubai Kathiawadi” as he believes both the films will find its audience. ”RRR” and ”Gangubai Kathiawadi” will release in cinema halls on January 7 next year. The Telugu-language film is a fictional tale of two Indian freedom fighters from the early 20th century – Alluri Sitarama Raju, played by Ram Charan, and Kumaram Bheem, essayed by NT Rama Rao Jr.

While ”Gangubai Kathiawadi” features Alia Bhatt playing a powerful madam of a brothel. ”The clash won’t hamper the business. Even if four films come together, if they are good, people are going to come to watch all of them. There are multiple instances in the past when this has happened. ”Because of the COVID times and everything being shut for one and a half year, a bottleneck is expected. But if your content is good, it doesn’t matter how many films come together. People are going to come. They’ll be spoilt for choice,” the director told reporters. ”RRR”, which also features Bhatt and Ajay Devgn in pivotal roles, won’t enjoy a free run as post its release South star Prabhas’ ”Radhe Shyam” will be hitting theatres worldwide on the occasion of Makar Sankranti and Pongal on January 14, 2022.

Rajamouli said not just ”Radhe Shyam”, January will be a busy month with other releases as well, but he is not worried as the current times demand the industry to come together and celebrate each other’s works. ”There are many films that are going to come. I certainly hope and wish all the films are good, all the films make money, make the audience excited and happy. ”This is the time where we can’t say my film has to do well, that film can’t do well. This is the time for all of us to come together and say, think and feel that all films should make money,” he added. Rajamouli was speaking at a special event to announce the collaboration between ”RRR” and multiplex chain PVR. PVR has altered their brand identity and logo to the movie name ”RRR” and will be referred to as ”PVRRR” till February.

Rajamouli and Ajay Bijli – Chairman & Managing Director PVR Ltd, unveiled the new logo.

While ”RRR” was in production for more than two years, it was delayed due to the coronavirus-induced nationwide lockdown last year. There were rumours that the makers were contemplating an OTT release for the but Rajamouli said his films are meant for a big screen experience, hence releasing ”RRR” in theatres was an obvious decision. ”I make films only for theatres, for the audience to come together, watch together… The way I operate, is to see a large number of audience sitting inside a cinema hall experience a film. So the decision (to release theatrically) was easy for me, there was no dilemma in that,” he added.

Bijli said OTT and theatres aren’t in an ”either or situation” anymore.

”They have always co-existed. Obviously the volume became high because the cinemas were shut. But now they’ll again co-exist, happily. There is no either or situation at all,” Bijli added.