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రౌద్రం రణం రుధిరం (2022)

RRR Film Review :

Let me say it outright, I am a huge fan of S.S. Rajamouli Sir. I have seen all his films, including the hard-to-find older ones, my favorites being Eega (Makkhi) and obviously the Baahubali Saga.
So, despite the numerous delays I was extremely excited for RRR to finally come out. However, it seems not many are as excited as I am. I prebooked my tickets on Tuesday itself, but looks like I didn’t need to!

The theater was empty below my row! (I had booked in the 4th Row from the top). Checking BMS App, I can see most shows are largely empty (top 1 or 2 rows have some seats booked) in Mumbai region with only the Imax 3D having filled around the halfway mark. Despite the hype down south, it doesn’t look like RRR will have a strong opening day in Mumbai region.
Getting to the film itself, the story is set in the 1920’s with the British occupying India, the two heroes NTR Jr and Ram Charan playing Bheem and Ram respectively, meet under a quirk of circumstances and the rest of the story follows.

This is a no spoiler review, but let me say, the trailer has shown almost every single major beat of the film. I wish the trailer had not revealed the final look of the heroes during the climax.
But coming back to the start, the first half of the film is extremely solid. The action, the acting, everything is well done. The way the two heroes meet and their ensuing friendship is a bit rushed but those are some of the strongest parts of the films to see them having a good time while still thinking of their individual goals. The pre interval action set piece is tremendous. I am sure in a house-full theater those scenes would have set the audience cheering and hooting. The song Naacho Naacho is also filmed rather well. The entire song is extremely catchy and the choreography is legendary. Till interval I would rate the film a solid nine out of ten.

Acting :
NTR Jr and Ram Charan have invested a lot into this film. Their friendship and comradery are clearly on display and those parts of the film are really well done. Alia Bhatt role can only be called an extended cameo, she is badly miscast in the film as she doesn’t fit into the look of the film at all. I think she was cast only to get in some of Bollywood fans into the theater.
Ayaj Devgn has a small cameo, but his part in the story is important. He looks right at home among revolutionaries having played Bhagat Singh and Tanhaji. His scenes give context to the back story of one of the heroes and it works out well.
The villain portrayed by Ray Stevenson of Thor fame is not given much to do except look mean and be really cruel. After the bombastic pre interval action set piece, I was expecting the heroes to have an epic face off with a semi famous western actor.
But then sadly the second half happened. The pace slows down and the two heroes are sort of divided and don’t really come together till almost the end. Somehow all the energy and pace of the first half just goes for a toss. The film drags on for a bit before picking. The pre climax action scene is rather innovative and not something the audiences anywhere have seen before. The action design in this scene is where Rajamouli Sir shines through. On paper this scene shouldn’t work, but it does by the sheer conviction of the director.
However even as the film picks up a bit, we get to the climax and it is weak. It is the weakest bit of the whole film.
In cinema, the ending defines the whole movie. It doesn’t matter how well a film starts, how well it carries, if the ending doesn’t stick the landing.

Many films have a mediocre start and middle, but the ending is so good that it elevates the whole film. RRR is just the opposite. It has a good start, extremely good middle and the ending is just too rushed, not cohesive story wise and just seems far too convenient. It feels as if the director ran out of ideas, spent all the budget in the first 2 hours of the film and now just needed to finish the film as soon as possible. The ending spoils the entire film. Dragging it down big time.

If this had been any other director than Rajamouli Sir, then maybe this weak sort of climax would have been forgiven, but his films have some of the best climaxes in Indian cinema. So, this ending is not justified.

Rating: 6/10. If you like these types of films, then this is a good one-time watch.