The top spots on Netflix's Top 10 Movies list are usually occupied by angsty local rom-coms or Western blockbusters replayed to death by many. This may lead one to wonder how a three-hour, non-English language action-musical that also serves as a fictionalized crash course on colonial India became the most popular flick on the streaming site over the past week or so.
Of course, we're talking about RRR, an epic drama centered around a kidnapping incident that snowballs into a revolutionary movement. Curious to know what made this Tollywood production the smash hit it is today? Keep scrolling for some details that might also convince you to press play on it.
Everything You Need to Know About Netflix's #1 Movie RRR:
The Plot
Back in 1920s India, when the country was still under British control, a tyrannical governor named Scott Buxton forcefully takes away Malli, a young girl with a golden voice from the Gond tribe. This leads tribe protector Komaram Bheem to embark on a mission to rescue her.
He heads to Dehli, where he meets Officer A. Rama Raju, a police officer assigned under the British Raj. Initially unaware of each other's position and reason for being in the capital, the two get along and bond for a bit. It's revealed along the way that Ram is actually serving his post as a way to infiltrate the colonial police and to secure their arms. After a series of arduous encounters, Bheem and Ram find themselves working hand-in-hand to stifle Buxton's corrupt governance, and to reunite Malli with her family back home.
The Cast
If you want to talk about the biggest and brightest in Indian entertainment, look no further than the two actors fronting RRR. Helming the cast as Bheem is N.T. Rama Rao Jr., who is popularly known as Tarak. After starting out as a child actor in the late 1990s, Tarak went on to solidify his place in Telugu productions with award-winning performances in Yamadonga (2007) and Nannaku Prematho (2016).
Serving as his onscreen buddy is Ram Charan, who is also a Tollywood mainstay. Aside from being a decorated actor who's experienced being Priyanka Chopra's leading man, Ram is also an entrepreneur who's established his own production house, Konidela Production Company.
Rounding out the main cast are Irish actors Ray Stevenson and Alison Doody, who play governor Buxton and his wife, and Alia Bhatt and Olivia Morris as Ram and Bheem's respective love interests.
What the Internet Is Saying
For many movie-watchers across the globe, the film was an exemplary introduction to Indian cinema. Many netizens attest that neither the language barrier nor the three-hour running time are hindrances to enjoying its cathartic musical sequences, jaw-dropping visuals, and endearing storyline.
What the Critics Are Saying
David Fear of Rolling Stone sang praises about RRR, calling it one of the best blockbuster films of the year that deserves to be viewed on the big screen. Significantly, the film did make a return to physical theaters after its initial March release; just this month, it had additional showings in about 100 cinemas in India, and was even shown in theaters in the U.S..
Siddhant Adlakha of IndieWire echoes Rolling Stone's sentiment, stating that, "RRR is the kind of film where violence and music aren’t just layered atop the story, but intrinsically woven into the way it’s told. Every action beat has meaning. RRR is the kind of film where violence and music aren’t just layered atop the story, but intrinsically woven into the way it’s told. Every action beat has meaning."
Watch the full trailer of RRR below:
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