25 Years Of S.S. Rajamouli: An Empire Podcast Interview Special

Chris Hewitt (0:14)

Hello Pod, I'm Chris Hewitt and welcome to a very special episode of The Empire Podcast. SS. Rajamouli, the great Indian director of epic action adventure movies like RRR, Baahubali, The Beginning and the upcoming Farah Nazi turns 53 today. Happy birthday, sir. And to celebrate, here's something very special indeed. An extended interview with Rajamouli, which was actually recorded in India earlier this year when our John Nugent ventured out to see what the director was getting up to with Farah Nazi.

And they sat down for a lovely chat whilst John was there about all things Rajamouli. And this can also be seen on our YouTube channel. But if you're on the move, here's a version that fits nicely into your ears. Do please enjoy.

John Nugent (1:01)

Well, welcome to The Empire Podcast. And we are thrilled and honored to have with us the director of Eega and Baahubali and RRR and the forthcoming Varanasi, Mr. SS. Rajamouli. How are you, sir?

S.S. Rajamouli (1:14)

I'm very good. Thank you, John. Thank you very much.

John Nugent (1:16)

Thank you very much for having us. Normally in The Empire Podcast, we are recording in a cold, depressing little box in London.

And today we're at Ramaji, is that right? Ramaji Film City?

S.S. Rajamouli (1:28)

That's right.

John Nugent (1:30)

In Hyderabad, we're just around the corner. You're filming your new film, Varanasi. Yeah, yeah. It's such an honor to be here. Thank you for inviting us here.

Yeah, you're literally in the middle of filming. How is it going so far?

S.S. Rajamouli (1:44)

Yeah, it's going great. Yeah. Tactic schedule, but going great.

John Nugent (1:50)

Very, very ambitious film. I've been lucky enough to watch a couple of days filming.

We'll get into Varanasi later, but first of all, this year is quite a momentous year for you, isn't it? This is 25 years of you as a director in filmmaking.

S.S. Rajamouli (2:10)

It doesn't feel like 25 years, so it doesn't feel monumental or momentous in any such way.

John Nugent (2:18)

Yeah. It's amazing the career you've had.

Do you remember the first day on set as a director? Your first film, Student No.

S.S. Rajamouli (2:29)

Yeah.

John Nugent (2:30)

Do you remember stepping on set for the first time?

S.S. Rajamouli (2:33)

Yes, of course. Incidentally, the first shot, we shot just around the corner in Ramaji Film City. Yeah. Yeah. I very much remember my mentor, K. Raghavendra, who gave me the chance to direct the film was there. And he was explaining me like how I should treat the characters, how I should place the emotions in the film. He was explaining me on that day.

Yeah.

I very much remember the first day.

John Nugent (3:11)

Yeah.

How does it track between those two, like today directing as you are today and back then in 2001? What's different for you?

S.S. Rajamouli (3:26)

Back then, I was very, very confident, super confident about my films. That confidence, I think, came from naivety or stupidity. Because at that stage, we think whatever we create, whatever shot that we make, it's like, it's very good and audience are going to love it. But yeah, I feel I was very, what do you say? That's the right word at that time.

Not that I'm a great expert now, but I definitely understood the language of film a lot now.

John Nugent (4:19)

Yes, yes.

S.S. Rajamouli (4:22)

As they say, the more you know, the more you know that you don't know.

John Nugent (4:27)

Yes, yes, yes.

S.S. Rajamouli (4:29)

There is so much as that we think there is only one room, and once the door to the room opens, you see multiple doors. That's that kind of thing now.

John Nugent (4:40)

Yeah, I was lucky enough to speak to your wife, who obviously works on all of your films, and she said that the person you were then, the person you are now, is like two different people, almost.

S.S. Rajamouli (4:51)

Would you say that's true? Okay, I should ask her what's the difference that she found in me.

I think I cooled down a little bit. I was a little bit temperamental at that time. I think now I'm more stable or more patient now, I think. Maybe that came with age also, to be frank.

John Nugent (5:20)

One of the joys of the last couple of days for me has been meeting not only you but all your family who work for you.

Your father is a screenwriter and your cousin is the composer, and you've got your son producing now and your wife is the costume designer. What is it like having your family around you across your entire career like this?