In a recent media interaction, filmmaker SS Rajamouli spoke about Hindi cinema and the key ingredient to making a popular film. In a new interview, the director said that a “connect with the audience” is important. Rajamouli also said when corporates “started coming into” the Hindi film industry and paid “high fees to actors and directors”, the hunger to succeed has come down.
Regarding the South film industry, Rajamouli said such a scenario doesn’t exist there as they “have to swim or sink.” He added that they shouldn’t get complacent now that they have “good business.” Rajamouli said, “I don’t think there will be any secret formulas. Two things I would say are, basically having a connection with the audience and not getting too comfortable. If you get too comfortable, you will get too complacent. If your film is doing good business at the moment of the announcement, you tend to get complacent.”
He also added, "What happened once the corporates started coming into the Hindi field and started paying high fees to actors, to directors or companies, the need to, 'I have to succeed at any cost', has come down a little bit, the hunger has come down a little bit. Here, down south, that was not there. You have to swim or you are going to sink. Now it has shifted here. Now, we shouldn't get complacent. We have good business. If we get complacent and the hunger goes down, then it will go the other way. To have the connection with the audience, to always have an understanding of what are they wanting, I think is important.”
Currently, Rajamouli’s last directorial ‘RRR’ has garnered praise in India and globally. The period action epic was nominated in the best picture-non-English and best original song at the upcoming Golden Globe Awards.