RRR: Indian Action-Drama is Earning Rave Reviews, Setting Box Office Records

Around the globe, and playing on over 1,000 screens in the United States, is a three hour long epic blockbuster that is playing to rave reviews and packed theaters. That might sound like we mean The Batman, but at this juncture we’re referring to RRR, the Indian action-drama epic that has critics calling it “everything that makes the cinematic experience great, all at once” (IndieWire). Hailing from acclaimed Indian director S S Rajamouli, known to international film fans for his two Baahubali features, the film is a historical fiction, telling the tale of two leaders of the Indian Telugu revolution against British Colonial rule, its three world title (shortened to initials) translates to “Rise! Roar! Revolt!”

The film’s short official synopsis simply reads: “A fictitious story about two legendary revolutionaries and their journey away from home before they started fighting for their country in 1920’s.” In the film, actors Ram Charan and N T Rama Rao Jr. take on the roles of historical figures Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem, flanked by fellow Bollywood stars Alia Bhatt, Ajay Devgn, and Praksah Raj. Also among the cast is someone MCU fans will recognize, Thor , plus Alison Doody of A View to a Kill and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. You can watch the amazing trailer for RRR below.

Released this weekend worldwide, Deadline brings word that RRR has already set the record for biggest opening day ever for a local filmin India after an estimated $18 million on Friday. Combined with its take globally the film has brought in a reported $30.5 million in its opening day worldwide. In the United States the film is reportedly on its way to a $12 million opening weekend haul, making it on the way to becoming a major hit around the world. As of this writing RRR has a 9.1 rating on IMDB from Users

IndieWire‘s Siddhant Adlakha awarded the film an A rating, writing in part: “A moment of betrayal, for instance, is marked by a flaming carriage wheel coming undone and striking one of the characters in the heart, and it’s only about the tenth or fifteenth wildest thing that happens in that entire set piece.” Polygon‘s Katie Rife called it “a busy movie, full of kinetic camerawork, bustling crowd scenes, elaborate set design, expensive-looking CGI, and loud sound effects;” but noted that rather than being “overstimulating” the film feels “more like the pleasant exhaustion after a good workout.”