Larger Than Life

S.S. Rajamouli has been a catalyst for change in the perception of south Indian films. His blockbusters like Baahubali and RRR are credited with revitalising the Indian film industry when it struggled to impress masses

- Giridhar Jha

S.S. RAJAMOULI

To simply recognise Koduri Srisaila Sri Rajamouli as India's greatest filmmaker of today is like stating the obvious. The mere mention of his name conjures up images of larger-than-life films made on a scale never seen before on Indian screens.

Rajamouli's signature style of storytelling, underpinned by stunning visuals, incredible grandeur of sets, breathtaking action sequences and Hollywoodlike computer-generated imagery have helped whet the appetite of Indian audiences for such films.

The 50-year-old auteur infused new life into cinemas across the country and beyond with his big films like Baahubali (2015), Baahubali 2 (2017) and RRR (2022).

No wonder filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt calls him a "game changer" whose movies "redefined everything that was thought and known about Indian films”. “A lot of people believe in becoming smaller. I believe in becoming bigger as a filmmaker," Rajamouli once told Outlook in an interview.