RRR preview: All you need to know about SS Rajamouli's historical fiction drama starring Jr NTR, Ram Charan, Alia Bhatt

Has there been a more anticipated film in the history of Telugu cinema than RRR? It's hard to find an answer. Yet, a day before its release, we can admit to heaving a sigh of relief that the film is finally hitting theatres after a four-year-long wait. For the uninitiated, RRR is a historical fiction drama, directed by Baahubali filmmaker SS Rajamouli, starring Ram Charan, Jr NTR, Alia Bhatt, Ajay Devgn, Olivia Morris and others in key roles. The film, which commenced its shoot in November 2018, is releasing across the globe in five languages on March 25 i.e. tomorrow and is easily the biggest ever Indian release in terms of the screen count (8000).

What is the story of RRR?

RRR is a fictional story, set in the 1920s, based on the friendship between two legendary Telugu warriors Komaram Bheem and Alluri Sitaramaraju. In a situation where they move away from their homes in Telugu states, Ram and Bheem meet at Delhi. While Ram a.k.a Ramaraju is a ruthless police officer working for the British, Bheem is a messiah for the tribals and rises to the occasion when anyone among them gets into trouble. Ram and Bheem forge a strong bond over time. When a young tribal girl in her teens is captured by a British officer, Bheem is forced to retaliate. There comes the biggest test for Ram, Bheem and their friendship. Will they join forces to counter the British? Watch the film to know more.

Who are Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem?

While Komaram Bheem emerged as a tribal leader who fought against the Nizam oppression in the Adilabad region, Alluri Sitaramaraju, is one of the earliest freedom fighters in the Telugu land who stood up to the atrocities of the British in India. Both leaders went on to sacrifice their lives for the causes they stood up for and enjoy a demi-God status in the hearts of Telugu people even today.

Popularly hailed as Manyam Veerudu (the warrior of the jungle), Alluri, born in Pandarangi, a village near Visakhapatnam district in Andhra Pradesh led several agitations calling for the abolishment of British rule, conducting raids and stealing guns from police stations to attack British officers, uniting tribal groups from various parts of the East Godavari and Visakhapatnam region for rebellions. 

Komaram Bheem's efforts were directed at the Nizam rulers who failed to provide basic rights for the Adivasis to lead a life of dignity. Besides championing the cause of his community, Bheem was a man passionate about weapons, determined to end the Nizam rule. He led a group of warriors who fought tirelessly protesting against the injustice meted out to their group. He died in a battle against policemen in 1940.

Why should one watch RRR?

The three Rs - Rajamouli, Jr NTR, Ram Charan: One of the finest filmmakers in Indian cinema and two of the biggest stars in the Telugu land are coming together for a story laced with a lot of emotion, drama, action. The film promises to be a visual spectacle and the fact that Jr NTR and Ram Charan will be playing two of the most famous Telugu warriors contributes to its allure. From Rajamouli's larger-than-life vision to Jr NTR's intensity and Ram Charan's composure, RRR is every bit worth the wait:

The ensemble star cast: Alia Bhatt is making her Telugu debut with RRR. Though the makers have clarified that she'll only have an extended special appearance in the film, it's a mouth-watering prospect to see how Rajamouli has utilised her finesses as a performer. The supporting cast is equally strong comprising Ajay Devgn, Shriya Saran, Rahul Ramakrishna, Rajeev Kanakala, Samuthirakani, Olivia Morris, to name a few.

To be aware of two Telugu warriors who were born and lived for the people: More than the big names associated with the film, RRR also has an educative purpose and will serve as a great platform to inform the world about two legendary Telugu warriors, Alluri Sitaramaraju and Komaram Bheem, who dedicated their loves for a cause and died while fighting for it. Though RRR is a fictional story, it can prove to be a starting point for many to know more about the great personalities.

The periodic setting, technical appeal and music: Cinema provides this rare luxury of going back in time into an era neither we've lived nor know about. RRR offers us an opportunity to glimpse through life at Delhi in the 1920s, backed by terrific production design (Sabu Cyril) and cinematography (K Senthil Kumar). The visuals of RRR to date have been nothing short of mind-blowing and the joy of watching it on the big screen, even in 3D, will be unparalleled in comparison to any Telugu movie for the viewer. MM Keeraavani's poignant background scores and foot-tapping songs have always been the lifelines of SS Rajamouli's films and RRR looks to be no different either.

Other trivia associated with the film:

• RRR was shot for over 300 days with the interval sequence between Jr NTR, Ram Charan being filmed for over 60 nights. 
• Jr NTR and Ram Charan have dubbed for themselves in multiple languages beyond Telugu as well. 
• The Motorcycle Diaries was one of the earliest inspirations for SS Rajamouli to make RRR. 
• The team had an expansive schedule in Ukraine before the war situation had set in the country.

When and where can we watch RRR on OTT?

ZEE5 and Netflix have acquired the streaming rights of all the versions of RRR. While the film's South Indian versions will stream on ZEE5, Netflix has the rights for the Hindi version of RRR. The film is expected to be dubbed in many international languages as well for its OTT release.