Just a few days back, it was announced that S.S. Rajamouli’s action extravaganza ‘RRR’ would be re-released in multiple theatres in the US. The original, uncut Telugu version of the blockbuster movie will make its way to more than 100 big screens in the US on 1st June, as part of a one-night Encore film screening event. This might be the last chance for US-based cine-goers to watch the magnum opus the way it’s supposed to be witnessed.
Regarding RRR’s US theatrical re-release, S.S Rajamouli had earlier stated that “America has embraced ‘RRR’ as its own and crossing borders, the love that the American audience has shown our film has been gratifying. Excited that they get to relive the experience at the re-release, thanks to Variance and Potentate.”
However, despite English being the dominant language in the US, ‘RRR’ will again not be released in an English dubbed version in the region. On the contrary, the film would be re-released in the original Telugu language accompanied by English subtitles.
An inquisitive Twitterati quizzed the makers regarding why ‘RRR’ did not get an English language theatrical release (for the US market). The official handle of ‘RRR movie’ was quick to reply that the majority of the audiences and distributors are in favor of native language release. RRR makers further remarked that even Netflix OTT viewers prefer to watch a foreign language film with English subtitles.
We enquired a lot about this! Almost 95% of the audience and distributors suggested to have original language release. And even Netflix also, foreigners likes to watch in original language with subs than in English.
— RRR Movie (@RRRMovie) May 18, 2022
However, another school of thought opines that releasing a film, as lavishly mounted as ‘RRR’ and blessed with a universal appeal, in English language, in a country like the US will get the film a wider reach amongst cinephiles. The notion seems to be somewhat true as a certain segment of moviegoers might get dissuaded from watching a film in a foreign language in spite of its incredibly good word-of-mouth.
A middle-of-the-road solution might perhaps be that a grand film like ‘RRR’ be released simultaneously in its native language alongside an English-dubbed version for markets such as the US. Another Twitter user suggests that, in this case, the film would then have massive potential to become a proper crossover movie like, say, Ang Lee’s 2000 ‘Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon’, which was incidentally the first foreign language movie to breach the coveted $100 million mark at the US box office.
Having said that and despite a non-English theatrical release, ‘RRR’ had still become the second highest grossing Indian film of all time in the US market. Globally, the 3 hours+ movie has grossed over a whopping Rs.1100 crores at the box office since its theatrical release on 25th March.
Helmed by S.S Rajamouli, the period action movie ‘RRR’ features Ram Charan and Jr.NTR in the lead roles and Ajay Devgn, and Alia Bhatt in pivotal roles. The film is a fictional tale set in the 1920s that revolves around two legendary Indian revolutionaries namely Alluri Sitarama Raju (played by Ram Charan) and Komaram Bheem (played by Jr. NTR).
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