Analysis of information sources in references of the Wikipedia article "S. S. Rajamouli" in English language version.
It catapulted Rajamouli into becoming India's most expensive director, commanding about $13m to direct a film.
"Rajamouli has an impeccable track record. Every film of his has worked … It would not be wrong to say that he's the biggest [Indian film director] ever," Komal Nahta, an Indian film trade analyst, told Al Jazeera. Since his film-making career began in 2001, Rajamouli has directed 12 films – all box office hits.
As audiences lapped up 'Why did Katappa kill Baahubali?', a market was not just created in the North for theatrical releases of Hindi-dubbed south Indian films, but it also paved the way for them to hammer Hindi films in their home turf. Clearly, Rajamouli has sown the seeds of south Indian cinema's dominance of Indian movie theatres across the country, with others following in his footsteps.
Released in 2015, Baahubali: The Beginning set the pace with an impressive lifetime gross of 500 crore in India to become the country's highest-grossing movie at the time.
"It's all thanks to Rajamouli and Yarlagadda for making pan-India films and giving us the confidence", says Vijay Kiragandur, Co-founder of Hombale Group, which produced the KGF movies. It was a meeting with Rajamouli in Bengaluru two months before KGF1's release that set the ball rolling. They showed him an 8-10-minute show-reel cut of the film on an iPad, and he asked them to go pan-India. "People in Karnataka were saying we are spending more on marketing than production in KGF1. [His words] gave us the confidence to spend that much. Otherwise also we would have gone all out, but would not have taken that much of a risk unless we heard it from the horse's mouth", says Kiragandur.
When I start writing a story, for me, it is the emotion I should be moved by. [...] I might not believe in God, but I connect to the emotion of a devotee and a God. And, I connect to the emotion that drives masses: devotion and submission to a greater self. I understand the power of that emotion, the power of a mass emotion, and I too feel that emotion. I might not believe in God, but I believe in the emotion, and if it moves me, I write it.
Says Rajamouli, an agnostic whose tales are replete with mythological themes of reincarnation and revenge
In a given show there might be homages to Buster Keaton and to an Indian filmmaker named S. S. Rajamouli, who has made some of my favorite films of the last decade. I particularly recommend a movie called Magadheera.
And he has never failed — he has not had a film which was unprofitable at the box office, and ...... At what he has set out to do — whether or not it's to the taste of the art film aficionado or the film critic — he has never yet failed.
Producer G Dhananjayan says, "Rajamouli has redefined the reach of regional cinema consistently through his films, starting with Eega [2012] to the Baahubali series, and now with RRR. The entire concept of pan-Indian films came from him when he succeeded with Eega across many Indian languages. This opened up this concept. Thanks to his vision, today, a lot of films are able to be made on a bigger budget targeted at a pan-Indian audience. Rajamouli stands tall among all Indian filmmakers for his vision, innovation, and expansion of the regional language market at a global level."
Rajamouli and his last film RRR may have single-handedly prompted not just Indian audiences but also cinephiles worldwide to look beyond Bollywood while seeking entertaining Indian blockbusters.
Rajamouli had said at an event, "A pan Indian film does not mean that actors from different languages come together. A pan Indian film means a story that connects to everyone irrespective of the language. While creating a story, I think 'If I switch off this dialogue portion, will the audience still connect to my movie?' Many times, the answer is a yes."
Every time someone tells me during a script discussion that doing this or not doing that will make the script a hit film, I always say… how can you be sure, nobody can be, except Rajamouli sir.
I was fascinated by the forts, the battles, the kings, I not only used to read those stories but I kept telling those stories to my friends in my own way.
"Rajamouli is a great storyteller. He knows people expect something new with every film. He takes up familiar concepts and develops them in an unfamiliar and acceptable way," says Baradwaj Rangan
"His visualisation is grand and, at the same time, goes into very minute details," says Sabu Cyril, [...] "He ensured that every pillar and wall had the right design. He makes no compromises," Cyril adds.
Rugby did not even skirt the periphery of our consciousness as kids. We'd never watched it on TV or live at a ground. But they had just watched Rajamouli's new sports drama, Sye, and were in the grip of the viscerality of the sport.
DNA also reported that the director SS Rajamouli, took home a mammoth profit share of Rs 100 crore. This is probably the most any director has earned from a movie, yet.
And his latest movie Magadheera became industry hit in all areas across India and overseas by breaking previous records by miles.
When Rajamouli wanted to design the logo of Viswamitra Creations, he needed a model for Viswamitra photo. He requested Prabhas as his physique is very good. Prabhas obliged for a photo shoot. The designer cut the physique of Prabhas and inserted in the logo of Viswamitra creations.
SS Rajamouli said, "Rayalaseema is known for factionism and violence. But is also known for hospitality. Maryada Ramanna is about a man who is torn with his two extremities of factionism and hospitality."
I am a film freak since I was a kid.
Ours was a big joint family and we were 13 cousins.
Right from class two, my passion was telling stories. On Saturdays, we had an extra-curricular class, where it was always Rajamouli telling stories. I don't remember what I studied in school, but I remember each and every comic I read of Amar Chitra Katha. I used to mix and mash the characters from Amar Chitra Katha to tell stories to suit my liking.
We were failed producers that ate away all the resources that my grandfather had accumulated as a rich landlord. We hit rock bottom and did not have any money for even my further education after intermediate. All of us were living in a two-room apartment. Even though they were hard days, it was fun together. Today, talking about those days, it looks as if we were poor; but at that time, we were happy and were sure that good days lay ahead.
My father, who then had no money to produce films, became a ghostwriter just for money. At home, he used to talk about his stories and I used to give him inputs and he took me as his assistant. He then established himself as a writer in films and we graduated to becoming lower middle class with each of his brothers living in separate houses.
After my father earned a little money as a writer, he went to his first love of producing films but the film was a miserable flop. I was 23 years old and everything we had was gone. Also, since he had become a director, no one gave him writing assignments; so we had no source of income for a year. We were scared of even paying our TV installment of ₹630 and were scared of the humiliation when the guy would come and take it away. This was the time I lost my innocence and the harsh reality of life hit me.
To escape from my father, I thought I should stay away from home and said I will become a director. So he put me as an apprentice under an editor and basically I did nothing except fooling around. But I read a lot of books.
I started writing for films but was always disappointed by the execution and thus wanted to become a director to bring out what I envisioned as a writer. My frustration as a writer was the reason for my becoming a director.
In one area of Andhra Pradesh family feuds that persist for many generations is a reality. That's what I showed in Maryada Ramanna. I saw families that were perfectly cultured and courteous, killing each other. I don't think this peculiar contradictory culture of the co-existence of violence and hospitality exists in Punjab.
Although Makkhi (Eega in Telugu) was traded for Rs 8 crore, it can be treated as a straight film because of the theatrical release of the Hindi version.
Over the course of my career I learned that the stronger the emotions or more basic the emotions, the more people tend to like your movie," Rajamouli said. "That's what I have been doing. [...] I realised that if films are based on stories driven by basic human emotions, they will have a wider reach.
Rajamouli said, "I have a subject in mind. It is an idea evolving for years. The story has the Vijayanagara Empire as its backdrop during Sri Krishnadevaraya's rule."
With his films, he brought immense recognition to South cinema and he is a big source of inspiration to all of us.
SS Rajamouli is perhaps India's most significant director today. He can make a film in a south Indian language that, when dubbed, becomes a pan-Indian film that can also be enjoyed overseas.
He is perhaps singlehandedly responsible for the rise of the pan-Indian film.
SS Rajamouli is perhaps India's most significant director today. He can make a film in a south Indian language that, when dubbed, becomes a pan-Indian film that can also be enjoyed overseas. SS Rajamouli is now widely regarded as one of India's greatest directors. Rajamouli's impact on Indian cinema is yet to be assessed, but he is perhaps primarily responsible for galvanising the interest in south Indian cinema that is now being watched all over India.
SS Rajamouli is perhaps India's most significant director today. He can make a film in a south Indian language that, when dubbed, becomes a pan-Indian film that can also be enjoyed overseas.
Before the release of Bahubali: The Beginning (2015), the term 'Pan India film' did not exist in film media or audience lingo.
I want to thank Rajamouli garu. In a way, he has opened a door for all of us and has shown us that this kind of film can be made. You can tell stories in two parts and be successful. It has become possible because of Baahubali, so I really want to thank him.
He's the highest grossing Indian director and also the director to secure the highest theatrical share.
The director grew up in a joint family spilling over with uncles and cousins.
Top director Rajamouli's Maryada Ramanna starring Sunil and Saloni collected about Rs 30 Crores.
SS Rajamouli is a brand in Tollywood. Literally. He's even got a stamp for himself. No Rajamouli film is complete without this
In 2020, S.S. Rajamouli, known for films like Baahubali: The Beginning and Baahubali 2, was the leading director in India whose charge for a single project grossed about one billion Indian rupees.
After Magadheera, which became the highest-grossing Telugu film of all time, .....
I generally like larger-than-life, pushing-the-boundaries sort of canvases [...] I believe entertainment to be a very serious business. It takes a lot for the audience to spend their hard-earned money and effort to come watch our films. They don't come to my movies for a history lesson, they come for thrill and emotional thrust. That's what I try to deliver. [...] I try to tell my story through visuals. [...] I try to put in as little dialogue as possible
my mother tongue is Telugu and I was born in Karnataka
He's the highest grossing Indian director and also the director to secure the highest theatrical share.
It catapulted Rajamouli into becoming India's most expensive director, commanding about $13m to direct a film.
DNA also reported that the director SS Rajamouli, took home a mammoth profit share of Rs 100 crore. This is probably the most any director has earned from a movie, yet.
In 2020, S.S. Rajamouli, known for films like Baahubali: The Beginning and Baahubali 2, was the leading director in India whose charge for a single project grossed about one billion Indian rupees.
"Rajamouli has an impeccable track record. Every film of his has worked … It would not be wrong to say that he's the biggest [Indian film director] ever," Komal Nahta, an Indian film trade analyst, told Al Jazeera. Since his film-making career began in 2001, Rajamouli has directed 12 films – all box office hits.
SS Rajamouli is perhaps India's most significant director today. He can make a film in a south Indian language that, when dubbed, becomes a pan-Indian film that can also be enjoyed overseas.
And he has never failed — he has not had a film which was unprofitable at the box office, and ...... At what he has set out to do — whether or not it's to the taste of the art film aficionado or the film critic — he has never yet failed.
After Magadheera, which became the highest-grossing Telugu film of all time, .....
And his latest movie Magadheera became industry hit in all areas across India and overseas by breaking previous records by miles.
He is perhaps singlehandedly responsible for the rise of the pan-Indian film.
Before the release of Bahubali: The Beginning (2015), the term 'Pan India film' did not exist in film media or audience lingo.
Producer G Dhananjayan says, "Rajamouli has redefined the reach of regional cinema consistently through his films, starting with Eega [2012] to the Baahubali series, and now with RRR. The entire concept of pan-Indian films came from him when he succeeded with Eega across many Indian languages. This opened up this concept. Thanks to his vision, today, a lot of films are able to be made on a bigger budget targeted at a pan-Indian audience. Rajamouli stands tall among all Indian filmmakers for his vision, innovation, and expansion of the regional language market at a global level."
As audiences lapped up 'Why did Katappa kill Baahubali?', a market was not just created in the North for theatrical releases of Hindi-dubbed south Indian films, but it also paved the way for them to hammer Hindi films in their home turf. Clearly, Rajamouli has sown the seeds of south Indian cinema's dominance of Indian movie theatres across the country, with others following in his footsteps.
SS Rajamouli is perhaps India's most significant director today. He can make a film in a south Indian language that, when dubbed, becomes a pan-Indian film that can also be enjoyed overseas. SS Rajamouli is now widely regarded as one of India's greatest directors. Rajamouli's impact on Indian cinema is yet to be assessed, but he is perhaps primarily responsible for galvanising the interest in south Indian cinema that is now being watched all over India.
Rajamouli and his last film RRR may have single-handedly prompted not just Indian audiences but also cinephiles worldwide to look beyond Bollywood while seeking entertaining Indian blockbusters.
my mother tongue is Telugu and I was born in Karnataka
The director grew up in a joint family spilling over with uncles and cousins.
Ours was a big joint family and we were 13 cousins.
Right from class two, my passion was telling stories. On Saturdays, we had an extra-curricular class, where it was always Rajamouli telling stories. I don't remember what I studied in school, but I remember each and every comic I read of Amar Chitra Katha. I used to mix and mash the characters from Amar Chitra Katha to tell stories to suit my liking.
I was fascinated by the forts, the battles, the kings, I not only used to read those stories but I kept telling those stories to my friends in my own way.
We were failed producers that ate away all the resources that my grandfather had accumulated as a rich landlord. We hit rock bottom and did not have any money for even my further education after intermediate. All of us were living in a two-room apartment. Even though they were hard days, it was fun together. Today, talking about those days, it looks as if we were poor; but at that time, we were happy and were sure that good days lay ahead.
My father, who then had no money to produce films, became a ghostwriter just for money. At home, he used to talk about his stories and I used to give him inputs and he took me as his assistant. He then established himself as a writer in films and we graduated to becoming lower middle class with each of his brothers living in separate houses.
After my father earned a little money as a writer, he went to his first love of producing films but the film was a miserable flop. I was 23 years old and everything we had was gone. Also, since he had become a director, no one gave him writing assignments; so we had no source of income for a year. We were scared of even paying our TV installment of ₹630 and were scared of the humiliation when the guy would come and take it away. This was the time I lost my innocence and the harsh reality of life hit me.
To escape from my father, I thought I should stay away from home and said I will become a director. So he put me as an apprentice under an editor and basically I did nothing except fooling around. But I read a lot of books.
I started writing for films but was always disappointed by the execution and thus wanted to become a director to bring out what I envisioned as a writer. My frustration as a writer was the reason for my becoming a director.
When Rajamouli wanted to design the logo of Viswamitra Creations, he needed a model for Viswamitra photo. He requested Prabhas as his physique is very good. Prabhas obliged for a photo shoot. The designer cut the physique of Prabhas and inserted in the logo of Viswamitra creations.
SS Rajamouli said, "Rayalaseema is known for factionism and violence. But is also known for hospitality. Maryada Ramanna is about a man who is torn with his two extremities of factionism and hospitality."
In one area of Andhra Pradesh family feuds that persist for many generations is a reality. That's what I showed in Maryada Ramanna. I saw families that were perfectly cultured and courteous, killing each other. I don't think this peculiar contradictory culture of the co-existence of violence and hospitality exists in Punjab.
Top director Rajamouli's Maryada Ramanna starring Sunil and Saloni collected about Rs 30 Crores.
Although Makkhi (Eega in Telugu) was traded for Rs 8 crore, it can be treated as a straight film because of the theatrical release of the Hindi version.
Released in 2015, Baahubali: The Beginning set the pace with an impressive lifetime gross of 500 crore in India to become the country's highest-grossing movie at the time.
"It's all thanks to Rajamouli and Yarlagadda for making pan-India films and giving us the confidence", says Vijay Kiragandur, Co-founder of Hombale Group, which produced the KGF movies. It was a meeting with Rajamouli in Bengaluru two months before KGF1's release that set the ball rolling. They showed him an 8-10-minute show-reel cut of the film on an iPad, and he asked them to go pan-India. "People in Karnataka were saying we are spending more on marketing than production in KGF1. [His words] gave us the confidence to spend that much. Otherwise also we would have gone all out, but would not have taken that much of a risk unless we heard it from the horse's mouth", says Kiragandur.
Rajamouli said, "I have a subject in mind. It is an idea evolving for years. The story has the Vijayanagara Empire as its backdrop during Sri Krishnadevaraya's rule."
I am a film freak since I was a kid.
Over the course of my career I learned that the stronger the emotions or more basic the emotions, the more people tend to like your movie," Rajamouli said. "That's what I have been doing. [...] I realised that if films are based on stories driven by basic human emotions, they will have a wider reach.
When I start writing a story, for me, it is the emotion I should be moved by. [...] I might not believe in God, but I connect to the emotion of a devotee and a God. And, I connect to the emotion that drives masses: devotion and submission to a greater self. I understand the power of that emotion, the power of a mass emotion, and I too feel that emotion. I might not believe in God, but I believe in the emotion, and if it moves me, I write it.
Says Rajamouli, an agnostic whose tales are replete with mythological themes of reincarnation and revenge
I generally like larger-than-life, pushing-the-boundaries sort of canvases [...] I believe entertainment to be a very serious business. It takes a lot for the audience to spend their hard-earned money and effort to come watch our films. They don't come to my movies for a history lesson, they come for thrill and emotional thrust. That's what I try to deliver. [...] I try to tell my story through visuals. [...] I try to put in as little dialogue as possible
Rajamouli had said at an event, "A pan Indian film does not mean that actors from different languages come together. A pan Indian film means a story that connects to everyone irrespective of the language. While creating a story, I think 'If I switch off this dialogue portion, will the audience still connect to my movie?' Many times, the answer is a yes."
SS Rajamouli is a brand in Tollywood. Literally. He's even got a stamp for himself. No Rajamouli film is complete without this
"Rajamouli is a great storyteller. He knows people expect something new with every film. He takes up familiar concepts and develops them in an unfamiliar and acceptable way," says Baradwaj Rangan
"His visualisation is grand and, at the same time, goes into very minute details," says Sabu Cyril, [...] "He ensured that every pillar and wall had the right design. He makes no compromises," Cyril adds.
With his films, he brought immense recognition to South cinema and he is a big source of inspiration to all of us.
Every time someone tells me during a script discussion that doing this or not doing that will make the script a hit film, I always say… how can you be sure, nobody can be, except Rajamouli sir.
In a given show there might be homages to Buster Keaton and to an Indian filmmaker named S. S. Rajamouli, who has made some of my favorite films of the last decade. I particularly recommend a movie called Magadheera.
I want to thank Rajamouli garu. In a way, he has opened a door for all of us and has shown us that this kind of film can be made. You can tell stories in two parts and be successful. It has become possible because of Baahubali, so I really want to thank him.
SS Rajamouli is perhaps India's most significant director today. He can make a film in a south Indian language that, when dubbed, becomes a pan-Indian film that can also be enjoyed overseas.
