By Ram Gopal Varma: SS Rajamouli Gave Filmmakers Confidence in Recovering Costs, Says Telugu Cinema Alone Can’t Take Full Credit
Tollywood celebrated tremendous box-office success last year with blockbuster hits like Pushpa 2: The Rule and Kalki 2898 AD. However, filmmaker SS Rajamouli, renowned for revolutionizing pan-Indian cinema through the iconic Baahubali franchise, remains a pivotal figure in the industry’s evolution. Sharing his unique perspective on this, veteran filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma recently discussed Rajamouli’s profound influence on Indian cinema.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Varma addressed the notion of attributing Telugu cinema’s success to a single year. He emphasized that filmmaking is a long process spanning several years, and despite the industry producing nearly 150 films annually, only a few achieve significant impact. He questioned the fate of the many films that fail to garner attention or success.
Varma then delved into Rajamouli’s towering influence, asserting, “The entire Telugu cinema cannot take full credit; it all boils down to one man—SS Rajamouli. He could have emerged from Tamil, Malayalam, or even Gujarati cinema. It’s purely a coincidence that he belongs to Telugu cinema.” Highlighting Baahubali‘s groundbreaking success, Varma explained that the franchise set a crucial benchmark—not merely for its grandeur but for proving that high budgets could yield recoverable returns.
He also reflected on how many filmmakers attempted to replicate Baahubali‘s success but fell short, noting that audiences now demand more than just grand visuals and special effects. According to Varma, Rajamouli’s earlier achievements, especially with Magadheera, gave him the credibility to take bold risks with Baahubali.
“Filmmakers began to believe that investing heavily in great movies could pay off,” Varma said, crediting Rajamouli for instilling confidence in others. He added that Rajamouli’s visionary approach, seen in films like Eega, transformed the industry’s mindset about balancing high production values with compelling storytelling.
