James Cameron, Joe Russo laud SS Rajamouli’s storytelling wizardry

MUMBAI —  International filmmakers James Cameron and Joe Russo have opened up on Indian director S S Rajamouli’s cinematic sorcery, sharing how he balances action, drama, and emotion that makes his films a true spectacle.

In a rare and insightful discussion featured in the upcoming docu-film ‘Modern Masters: S.S. Rajamouli’, Cameron and Russo delve into Rajamouli’s storytelling wizardry. They marvel at his talent for creating worlds that are both epic and profoundly human.

James shared his thoughts in the docu-film, saying: “Well, that’s quite a compliment. As filmmakers now, we all have the same influences as we were coming up, as we were growing up, the things that impressed us. But he’s (Rajamouli) made it his own in a very — I want to say, a muscular style, but I’m not referring to the strength and the physicality of the actors.”

“Although he celebrates that very well. But it’s very…it’s a style that’s just got a lot of energy, a lot of dynamism…a lot of it kind of sears into your consciousness in an unforgettable way,” he added.

Both Cameron and Russo applauded Rajamouli’s fearless innovative spirit, commending his relentless pursuit of cinematic innovation and his willingness to push the boundaries of what’s possible on the big screen.

Commenting on the scale of ‘RRR’ and Rajamouli’s craftsmanship, Joe Russo added: “I think people were blown away by ‘RRR’ in Hollywood. I just think that the level of craft exhibited here is equal to any major film that comes out of Hollywood, any large-scale movie.”

Produced by Applause Entertainment and Film Companion Studios, “Modern Masters” is directed by Raghav Khanna and is now streaming on Netflix.

Rajamouli’s latest release, the Telugu epic period action drama ‘RRR’, stars NTR Jr, Ram Charan, Ajay Devgn, Alia Bhatt, Shriya Saran, Samuthirakani, Ray Stevenson, Alison Doody, and Olivia Morris.

The film has won the Academy Award for ‘Best Original Song’ for ‘Naatu Naatu’.