Indian filmmaker SS Rajamouli said he was “on top of the world” after interacting with Hollywood filmmaker James Cameron at the 28th Critics Choice Awards (CCA) on Monday, January 16. Rajamouli said he was delighted that James Cameron spent 10 minutes analysing his film RRR. The film won the Critics Choice Award for best foreign language film, while the song ‘Naatu Naatu’ won the award for best song, on the heels of its Golden Globe win.
Rajamouli took to Twitter to share two pictures where he is seen with James Cameron, who has made films such as Titanic and the Avatar series. In the first image, the two filmmakers are seen having a discussion. The second image shows Rajamouli holding Cameron's hands as the two of them talk.
Posting the images, he wrote: "The great James Cameron watched RRR.. He liked it so much that he recommended to his wife Suzy and watched it again with her. Sir I still cannot believe you spent a whole 10 minutes with us analyzing our movie. As you said I AM ON TOP OF THE WORLD... Thank you both.”
The great James Cameron watched RRR.. He liked it so much that he recommended to his wife Suzy and watched it again with her.
— rajamouli ss (@ssrajamouli) January 16, 2023
Sir I still cannot believe you spent a whole 10 minutes with us analyzing our movie. As you said I AM ON TOP OF THE WORLD... Thank you both
Rajamouli had earlier met Steven Spielberg at what The Hollywood Reporter's Boris Kyt described as an A-list star-stuffed celebration thrown by Universal at West Hollywood's famous Sunset Tower Hotel. "I just met GOD!!!" Rajamouli had captioned the image of meeting Speilberg.
I just met GOD!!! pic.twitter.com/NYsNgbS8Fw
— rajamouli ss (@ssrajamouli) January 14, 2023
The great James Cameron watched RRR.. He liked it so much that he recommended to his wife Suzy and watched it again with her.
— rajamouli ss (@ssrajamouli) January 16, 2023
Sir I still cannot believe you spent a whole 10 minutes with us analyzing our movie. As you said I AM ON TOP OF THE WORLD... Thank you both
The Telugu magnum opus, headlined by Ram Charan and Jr NTR, was nominated in five categories at the CCA -- Best Picture, Best Director (Rajamouli), Best Foreign Language film, Best Visual Effects (V Srinivas Mohan) and Best Song (Naatu Naatu). In the Best Foreign Language Film, RRR was competing against films such as All Quiet on the Western Front, Argentina 1985, Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths, Close and Decision to Leave.
RRR is a pre-Independence fictional story focusing on two real-life Indian revolutionaries in the 1920s -- Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem. Rajamouli dedicated the award to India and all the women in his life who have supported him in his creative journey. "To all the women in my life -- my mother Rajnandani -- she thought education was overrated and made me read story books and comics. She encouraged my creativity. My sister-in-law Srivalli, who became a mother to me, and always encourages me to be the best version of myself," the filmmaker said in his acceptance speech.
"My wife Rama, she is the costume designer of my films, but more than that she is the designer of my life -- if she is not there I'm not going to be here today. To my daughters, they don't do anything, but their smile is enough to light up my life. And finally to my motherland -- India, Bharat -- Mera Bharat Mahan! Jai Hind," Rajamouli said.
The foot-tapping dance number from the film ‘Naatu Naatu’, which won the 'best original song-motion picture' at the Golden Globes last week, was nominated for the CCA alongside ‘Carolina’ (Where the Crawdads Sing), ‘Ciao Papa’ (Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio), ‘Hold My Hand’ (Top Gun: Maverick), ‘Lift MeUp’ (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) and ‘New Body Rhumba’ (White Noise). The track has been composed by veteran music director MM Keeravaani and voiced by singers Kala Bhairava and Rahul Sipligunj.
Choreographed by Prem Rakshith, the music video has legions of followers still trying to master its steps. It also features in the Oscars shortlist announced last month. Last week, RRR made it to the BAFTA (British Academy Film Awards) longlist for the 'film not in English language' category.
The 28th Annual Critics Choice Awards were hosted by Chelsea Handler. Michelle Yeoh's Everything Everywhere All at Once led the film nominations at the CCA with 14 nods. During the ceremony it took home the night's top honour, Best Picture, as well as Best Supporting Actor (for Ke Huy Quan), Best Director (for Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), Best Original Screenplay, and Best Editing.
With PTI and IANS inputs