The release of SS Rajamouli’s RRR marked a significant milestone in Indian cinema, propelling both Ram Charan and NTR to global stardom. Despite the movie’s widespread success, a fierce rivalry between fans of the two actors has persisted, even extending to claims of “Global Star” status. Recently, writer Vijayendra Prasad’s comments in an interview have reignited the debate.
RRR, featuring Ram Charan and NTR as leads, garnered immense praise worldwide and clinched prestigious awards, including Oscars and Golden Globes. However, debates arose regarding the prominence given to each actor’s role. Vijayendra Prasad’s earlier endorsement of Ram Charan’s character had sparked controversy, and his recent remarks have added fuel to the fire.
In the interview, Vijayendra Prasad clarified that he wasn’t undermining any character but highlighted the distinctions in the roles. He praised Ram Charan’s character for its variations and acknowledged NTR’s role for its innocence. However, he talked about the the difficulty of NTR’s role in propelling the storyline forward.
“I am not belittling any character. The two characters seemed alike while writing the story. But after watching the film, it was different. Ram Charan’s role in the movie had many variations. NTR’s role had innocence. NTR is a great actor. He performs superbly whatever role he is given. However, it was very difficult to play the role he played in the RRR movie. The role is supportive in taking the story forward. We did not try to show Ram Charan’s character as Lord Ram. We have shown it like Ramaraju. But it came like Lord Ram, maybe the impact of Lord Ram on showed an effect,” he said.
These comments have triggered strong emotions among NTR fans, who perceive them as a slight against their favorite actor.
While Vijayendra Prasad may have intended to provide a writer’s perspective, the unintended consequences have intensified the ongoing debate since the release.
