'RRR is not a Bollywood movie, it's a Telugu film': SS Rajamouli's statement at US screening has internet divided

SS Rajamouli's period action extravaganza RRR, starring Ram Charan and Jr NTR in the leading roles, has been a roaring success in Hollywood too as the film has been honoured with several awards including the Golden Globe for Best Original Song and other city-based critics' organisations.

The film was screened in various cities across America. In one of the screenings held recently on January 7 at the esteemed DGA (Director's Guild of America) theater in Los Angeles, SS Rajamouli and Jr NTR answered questions posed by the foreign journalists. Now, a video is going viral from that day in which the filmmaker said that RRR is a Telugu film and not a Bollywood movie.

"This is not a Bollywood movie. This is a Telugu film from the south of India, where I come from. But I use songs to progress the film forward, move the story forward rather than stopping the film and giving you a piece of music or dance. I use those elements to move the story forward", the director said.

Rajamouli's statement has the internet divided since some people are supporting him, whereas others have complained that instead of the differentiation, the Baahubali series director should have mentioned that RRR is an Indian film. Here are some of the reactions from the micro-blogging platforms Twitter.

RRR Is Not A Bollywood Film, SS Rajamouli After Golden Globes 2023 Win!

"RRR Is Not A Bollywood Film, It Is A Telugu Film From The South Of India Where I Come From," He Said.
#Tollywood pic.twitter.com/Yg02JP08Cn

— Sachin more | (@Moresachin8009) January 15, 2023

Very true it's a Telugu film, Where it is a South india . And North people crying over his statements, Where were you When people criticized About south films, South languages, South dishes. And Pointing us as a South India ka Banda hai, Rather than apna desh ka Banda .

— Bietch (@fockyeh) January 15, 2023

Whats a big deal in it ? Its the fact its a Telegu film & belongs to india. And we all know bollywood , tollywood are different industries. We should celebrate the big win. Lekin kya karein adaat se majboor. Dusro ki khushi se khush hona hi toh iss duniya mein difficult hai. #RRR https://t.co/54r8iHRSGy

— Devoleena Bhattacharjee (@Devoleena_23) January 15, 2023

The entire nation came to know about #RRR because of #SSRajamouli's previous blockbuster called #Baahubali. Remember? And that wasn't a Bollywood film either. https://t.co/s4VTf3V4gO

— Kirubhakar Purushothaman (@Kiru_bhakar) January 14, 2023

He was clarifying to foreigners that RRR is a Telugu movie because some people misunderstood that Indian cinema is just Bollywood.
Nothing wrong with that. https://t.co/qno22FOMRE

— Escobar (@ParodyEscobar) January 15, 2023

When films like Brahmastra are marketed, it is said to be a Hindi film from Bollywood.

Ask them to name South-Indian states & their respective languages, they cannot.

Now when RRR gets a Golden Globe, it's Victory of "Indian Cinema"? https://t.co/iTK6cUsKP4

— Varadraj Adya (@varadadya) January 14, 2023

SS Rajamouli's magnum opus is a fictional story inspired by Telugu freedom fighters Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem, played by Ram Charan and Jr NTR respectively. RRR has explored a blind spot in history for a cinematic spectacle, as there seem to be no records of what happened in the lives of these freedom fighters when they were away from their homes. The film was released on March 25, 2022, as an original Telugu release and was dubbed in Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam.

READ | RRR: SS Rajamouli's film gets 9.2 IMDb rating, netizens call it 'pride of Indian cinema'