International films are finally getting the recognition that they deserve these days. One of these impeccable international films that have exploded in popularity is Netflix’s RRR (Rise Roar Revolt), an Indian film. Since the first film was a huge success, the director and his team have decided to make a sequel to RRR. So, yes, an RRR 2 is coming soon.
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Talks About the Sequel to RRR
Director S.S. Rajamouli has discussed a sequel to RRR is in early development for a few months. Now, we have been given yet another update on the unofficially titled follow-up to the original, RRR 2. During an interview, Rajamouli told Variety that the screenwriter on the project (his father), Viyayendra Prasad, is currently working on the story for RRR 2.
After the original’s explosive success, the core team originally had no plans for an RRR sequel but decided that a follow-up would make sense after the original’s international success.
“When we were making [the original film], we didn’t have any idea about [a sequel]. With its initial success, we discussed it a little bit and threw out some good ideas, but we felt a great idea could have been better, so we left it at that. Then, after the international success, when the topic came up, my cousin [M.M. Keeravani] – who is also a part of my core team – gave an idea which we felt like, ‘Oh my God, this is a great idea. This is the idea that is worth pursuing,” Rajamouli told Variety.
Sequel to RRR
All we know about the RRR sequel so far is that Bheem and Raju from the first movie will return as the film’s heroes. In contrast, the British colonialists from the first film will again be the sequel’s antagonists. Besides that, little has been shared about the plot details, but we can assume they will try to think of something unique to top the original.
It was first mentioned in November that RRR 2 was in early development, announcing they had “cracked the sequel’s premise” and that team is hoping that Prasad will finish the script by January 2023. They are currently writing a draft, and the core team wants to “immediately sit on it and expand the idea.”
While he is currently working on the script and getting it done, the RRR team still has to come together to really look into how they are going to make it, and how they can bring the concept all the way from paper to the screen.
The First Film
The original movie is a fictional tale about a pair of legendary revolutionaries on their quests that lead them away from home, and how they start to fight for their country in the 1920s. The film has a 7.9 score on IMDb and a 94% score from critics and audiences on Rotten Tomatoes.
The two main heroes (who will be returning once again for the RRR sequel) are Komaram Bheem, played by N.T. Rama Rao Jr., and Alluri Sitarama Raju, played by Ram Charan Teja.
The synopsis explains that the film takes place during the British era in India. The story kicks off when a young tribal girl is taken away from her mother by a British governor and his wife, Scott and Catherine Buxton. An Indian cop Rama Raju works for the British army and holds duty above all else. He is ruthless towards his own people that are revolutionaries. Despite his hard work, he is never truly appreciated by the British army.
The British government soon discovers that a member of the tribal village Komaram Bheem, who thinks of Malli as his younger sister, has started searching for her. They believe that he could become a real problem for the British army, so decide to take matters into their own hands. The governor announces a special position for any officer who is able to bring Bheem to them. Finally seeing an opportunity to get the recognition that he deserves, Rama Raju decides that this is the task for him, promising the government that he will bring Bheem in dead or alive.
At this point, Bheem has reached the city in his quest to find Malli and is pretending to be Aktar the mechanic to stay undercover. During an unlikely train accident on a lake, Bheem and Raju risk their lives to save the people on the train and become best friends in the process. Their friendship is tested when they realise their true identities and have to decide what is more important to them, their bond, or their mission.
Whether the sequel meets the same success as the original will remain to be seen. Still, the fact that international films have so much more room for success is a beautiful sight in modern Hollywood.
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What We’d Like To See In Netflix’s RRR 2
Netflix’s RRR was one of the most surprising success stories of the past year. The stunning Telugu film rocked the world with its bombastic action scenes and catchy tunes, and it seems as if director S.S. Rajamouli is ready to return for round two.
RRR 2 has some big shoes to fill if it hopes to live up to its prequel’s intense sense of what an action Telugu film should be. However, when it comes to Rajamouli, the only thing we should expect now is the unexpected. That said, here are a few things we’d like to see in the undoubtedly explosive RRR 2.
A Touching Plot
The message that Rajamouli sent to the world with RRR is quite clear: Telugu cinema can produce films that rival in quality with those from the west. And not just any Western film, either: the target is the monolithic Marvel Cinematic Universe.
In terms of raw visual quality alone, Rajamouli and RRR are certainly up there with some of the best the MCU has to offer. However, to truly distance itself from its competition, RRR 2 would do well in delivering a plot with solid characters and enthralling motivations.
Rajamouli said himself that he’d not make RRR 2 until the right idea came about, so let’s just hope that that idea will be enough to fuel this highly anticipated sequel.
More Music
If there’s one thing that Indian cinema does unlike any other country, that would be its musical numbers. While musicals in the West have a very different context, music plays an entirely different role in Hindi and Telugu cinema.
It would be unthinkable to see Iron Man defeating Thanos via a dance number – that would probably be more in the Guardians of the Galaxy’s ballpark. However, in Bollywood and the rest of India’s entertainment industry, musical numbers play an integral role in most of their franchises.
RRR 2 should double down on what its predecessor did in terms of music and dance numbers. Let’s not forget that RRR‘s “Naatu Naatu” managed to bag the Golden Globe Award for best original song, beating the likes of Rihanna and Taylor Swift. It’s easy to see that Rajamouli and his team have a winning formula with their balance of action and musical numbers, so the sequel would do well in keeping that tradition intact.
Historical Action
As much as we all loved the over-the-top action of the first RRR, one of the most meaningful aspects of the Telugu blockbuster is how much its plot ties to real-life characters and historical events.
RRR 2 would certainly continue the anti-colonization efforts of Bheem and Raju, as there’s still much to tell about the United Kingdom’s involvement in India. Let’s not forget that the movie takes place in 1920, so there are almost three decades left of the British Raj for Rajamouli and his team to explore with the sequel.
All that said, considering the success of the first RRR, we’ll also probably get the feeling that RRR 2 is just the first sequel in the franchise. After all, there’s still lots of narrative potential in this setting, so it wouldn’t be too surprising to see that RRR 2 also introduces an “Avengers-like” sequel hook to better establish the type of franchise it aims to be.
