SS Rajamouli shares his opinion on Oscar buzz

The SS Rajamouli-directed ‘RRR’, starring Telugu stars Ram Charan and NTR Jr in the lead, made history when it won an Oscar in the ‘best original song’ category for its dance track ‘Naatu Naatu’. Recently, the filmmaker opened up about the team’s months-long Oscar campaign and how Oscar buzz doesn’t only bring honour to films but aids significantly in the country’s progress at large.

Speaking to his brother-in-law, Dr AV Gurava Reddy, Rajamouli cited the example of the Korean film industry and how the Oscar winner ‘Parasite’ helped broaden the country’s economy.

“Why are Oscars such a big thing? If your films get recognition in the international arena, it is not just your film that gets the benefit or makes money. For example, South Korea, 10 years ago, had a very small industry. But after ‘Parasite’ and a couple of hit shows, suddenly the industry increased tenfold. The point is that because there are people who are watching Korean films and shows and like them, interest in the Korean food industry has increased 100 times. The Korean cosmetic industry has seen growth because of its films. Cinema is a soft power. So, if we can make inroads internationally with films, the Indian film industry will grow, but more than that, the Indian food industry and the Indian fashion industry will become a multi-billion-dollar industry,” the director said.

The Bong Joon-ho-directed ‘Parasite’ became the first Korean movie to bag the prestigious Academy Award after it was released in 2019. Since then, people across the globe have expressed more desire and interest in Korean content, consuming K-dramas and Korean pop music almost obsessively, which has resulted in the K-pop band BTS becoming a global phenomenon it now is.