o a lot of westerners, some Bollywood movies appear too over-the-top, too sensationalized, too bombastic, too whimsical, too clichéd. But that’s even more reason for you to watch “RRR,” the most expensive Indian movie ever made.
As the opening disclaimer reveals, “RRR” takes place during the 1920 revolution against the British Empire, but the characters are not based on real persons. The disclaimer also adds that no animals were hurt during filming because they’re all CGI. That should give you some indication of what you’re in store for.
Yet what it doesn’t say is that you should probably buckle in because you’re in for an unusual ride. When you’re not rolling your eyes at how corny the characters are, you simply can’t believe what you’re seeing. When you try to find your way through the myriad of musical offerings, you find yourself being taken away by commanding, pulsating beats. When, during the action sequences with obvious CGI, you are attempting to sustain disbelief, the smile on your face will betray you. When you think you’ve seen everything — well, you haven’t.
And the plot is no exception to the uniqueness of the film. Initially, there might be a temptation to describe it using typical terms: adventure, political, romance, action, historical. But such a list can only go so far before you’re forced to surrender and just watch without the aid of any preconceptions.
After Malli (Sharma), a young, angel-voiced village child, is separated from her family by a powerful British aristocrat and his wife (Stevenson and Doody), a small team sets out to locate her and bring her back home. The leader of the group, Komaram Bheem (Rama Rao Jr.) has many talents. Much like a superhero, he is fast and keen, quick thinking, and mightier than most. When he happens to cross paths with his alter ego, A. Rama Raju (Charan), an officer in the Indian Imperial Police, they form a friendship that knows no bounds. When Bheem meets Jennifer (Morris), a governess in the aristocrats’ house, and who also happens to be in charge of the young village girl, Bheem hatches a plan to meet her in hopes of rescuing the girl.
Any more lengthy discussion of the plot would only serve to add to the genre list, a list that you would only end up tossing out. Even calling it a parody of exuberance couldn’t do it justice. What’s important to realize, though, is that Hollywood doesn’t have a monopoly on exuberance, and that even movies which flaunt exuberance can be enjoyable.
