The more personal, the more universal is something that V Vijayendra Prasad, screenwriter of the two-part Baahubali franchise, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, and RRR, swears by, and he believes that India is rich in stories and filmmakers should tap into this treasure trove to take Indian culture to the world. (Also Read: SS Rajamouli’s father, writer Vijayendra Prasad told this to Puri Jagannadh after Liger’s failure)
Prasad and filmmaker-son SS Rajamouli will keep making films that are “100 per cent Indian”, he added. “The more personal, the more universal. You have to speak the truth with honesty and integrity. We did not compromise on anything to be visible in the world,” the screenwriter told PTI.
Cinema being the ‘carrier of culture’
Citing examples of films such as Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Manjummel Boys and Gandhi, Prasad said cinema is a carrier of a country’s culture. “People saw our movies. They liked our movies. Automatically, they have respect for our culture. There is so much possibility with visual media to take our culture abroad. There are so many patriotic heroes whose stories must be told.”
“One day, my son Rajamouli asked me, ‘Father, can you tell me which way India is rich?’ I was trying to find an answer when he said, ‘India is rich in stories’. We have Mahabharata and Ramayana. So, we have to encash this. That is our property, our richness. We are blessed with such stories,” added the writer, also a Rajya Sabha MP.
The Baahubali phenomenon
Ten years ago, the pan-India film phenomenon was reborn when a Telugu-language film like Baahubali: The Beginning crossed the geographical barriers both within and outside the country making Rajamouli and lead star Prabhas national sensations.
The first part of the fictional period drama franchise, which heavily borrowed elements from Mahabharata and Ramayana as does almost every work by Prasad, ended with a cliffhanger. “Why did the loyal servant Kattappa kill Baahubali?”
Asked if they knew this would become a topic of conversation until part two Baahubali: The Conclusion released in 2017, the veteran screenwriter said it wasn’t so.
“People were like ‘How can he leave the movie half way?’ ‘Why Kattappa killed Baahubali?’ So I said, ‘How can he do that’? That’s the topic… We wanted to leave a hook for part two. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji met Prabhas back then, he also asked the same question ‘Why did Kattappa kill Baahubali?’ For two years, that was the question on the nation’s mind,” the 82-year-old recalled.
The success of RRR in Hollywood
Five years after the Baahubali franchise ended, Prasad and Rajamouli pulled off something that was unimaginable for an Indian film production. All eyes were on the director’s next: the ambitious magnum opus RRR, another period set action drama set in pre-independence era loosely based on the lives of Indian revolutionaries Komaram Bheem (Jr NTR) and Alluri Sitarama Raju (Ram Charan).
After several production delays, RRR set the cash registers ringing not only in India but also abroad and received praise from Hollywood master filmmaker James Cameron amid its Hollywood awards campaign. It also became the first Indian film production to win an Oscar — for Naatu Naatu in the best original song category.
“At the time of making Baahubali, we had a pleasant surprise when we got so much adulation from Japan and other countries. Then with RRR, my son had an instinct, it was going to crack Hollywood. So, he was there for two months doing PR and it paid off in a big way.
“Ultimately, the feather in the cap was (meeting) James Cameron. He saw the movie and then showed it to his wife… Then James Cameron told my son, ‘If you ever want to make a Baahubali (in Hollywood), please come to me’. So, the doors are open, we have the technology and talent,” Prasad said, adding that it is Rajamouli who calls the shots on a set.
Would he like to write a film for Hollywood? “We are going to write our movies, they will be enjoyed in Hollywood. It (Our stories) will be 100 per cent Indian. We are not going to dilute it, we are not going to compromise and they (audience abroad) will like our movies,” Prasad replied.
Reuniting with Salman Khan
The writer, also known for Magadheera, Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi, and Thalaivii, opened up about reports of meeting Bollywood superstar Salman Khan for Bajrangi Bhaijaan sequel. “I met Salman last Eid. I narrated a line to him, he liked it. But let’s see what happens.”
Prasad also spoke about the conversation he had with Aamir Khan about penning his ambitious film on Mahabharata. “Sometime ago, he (Aamir) came (to me) with an idea to make Mahabharata. I don’t know what happened afterwards.” Asked if he would like to make a film on Mahabharata with Rajamouli, the writer said: “His ultimate goal is to make Mahabharata.”
Meeting PM Modi
Prasad also recalled meeting PM Modi for the first time soon after he was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 2022. “I was blown away by his vision. What I thought would be a meeting of around one or two minutes, it actually took more than 40 minutes. It was a pleasant surprise for me. As a politician, I thought he would be talking about other politicians, other parties or praising the BJP party, or praising himself. But, he only spoke about the glory of India, how to bring glory to India for 40 minutes.”
Coming up for Prasad is Rajamouli’s currently untitled film with Mahesh Babu, a project he described as “an adventure with Indian mysticism”. He is also writing a Hindi remake of Magadheera for producer Sajid Nadiadwala.
