S. S. Rajamouli’s RRR is easily the most talked-about Indian film of the 21st century. Be it the epic introductions, enthralling dance sequences, or music, this action drama is truly a global phenomenon, with the Academy Award-winning dance musical ‘Naatu Naatu’ turning out to be an icing on the cake.

The film narrates the tale of two Indian revolutionaries with polarizing goals in the backdrop of pre-independence India.

Firstly, it must be noted that this multi-starrer is an outright commercial film designed as a roller coaster ride of heart-thumping moments. The iconic prelude, main conflict, dance sequence, intermission block, jail escape, and forest fight are crafted to give you an adrenaline pumps one after another. In this aspect, the film did a splendid job and deserves a perfect ten.

In contrast, the film lacks any strong plot or theme. Yes, this seemingly perfect film is indeed miles away from being perfect. To point out, Rama Raju practicing pushups following weeks of starvation is illogical and over-the-top. Also, why would any temple feature usable archery equipment?

While the characters Alluri Rama Raju & Komuram Bheem are real, the story narrated around them is entirely fiction, thus trivializing the ‘historical accuracy’ aspect.

Sai Madhav Burra, the film’s dialogue writer, did a poor job in penning dialogues; not a single line mouthed by the actors is noteworthy or memorable. However, Senthil Kumar’s cinematography and Sabu Cyril’s production design are excellent. In the ‘Prison Escape’ sequence in particular, the former’s camera work is top-notch.

In other departments, Rama Rajamouli’s finesse in designing the costumes stands out; Charan’s dashing looks in the first half are a testament to the same. The music, composed by M. M. Keeravani, is adequate and succeeded in elevating the drama to newer heights.

The film deserves high praise for the performances of the cast: the lead actors Ram Charan & Jr. NTR are phenomenal in their roles, while Alia Bhatt, despite her limited screen time, did make an impact in directing the plot.

Talking about S. S. Rajamouli, the captain of the ship, he did a splendid job in crafting a screenplay (and directing it) with a series of goosebumps-inducing moments. On the flip side, the story penned by his father, Vijayendra Prasad, is feels insufficient for a film of this stature.

Overall, RRR is a highly entertaining action drama touted on a very big canvas. No exaggeration, but this is how every big-ticket film dreams (& should dream) to be. However, the film falls short of being a masterpiece, primarily because of its wafer-thin storyline and historical irrelevance.