What to watch next if you liked RRR
I’ve spent the last few days digging through my old archive of Bollywood and other Indian film posts and just having fun remembering when all I did was watch masala films. In that spirit, I decided to watch SS Rajamouli’s newest film RRR because I’d seen film nerds talking about how over-the-top and insane it was.
FG’s verdict: It was a very fun watch, although I did have to sign up for Zee5 in order to find a Telugu version with subtitles. I may even write a review! Just like old times!
So, if you are that film nerd who watched RRR and was like, “THIS IS AWESOME” but then are faced with a sea of Indian films on various streaming platforms and can’t decide if it’s worth clicking in to give something else a try, here are some suggestions from your old pal Filmi Girl.
If you were really into the anti-colonial fight against the British:
Lagaan (2001, Hindi, available on Netflix), Aamir Khan’s Oscar nominated epic about a rag tag bunch of villagers who fight an epic cricket battle against the British. Really enjoyable film with music by A.R. Rahman.
Mangal Pandey: The Rising (2005, Hindi, available to rent on Amazon/YouTube), this one has a negative reputation as a “flop” but don’t let that fool you. Viewers new to Indian film will enjoy seeing Aamir Khan return again to battle the British as real life historical figure Mangal Pandey.
Madrasapattinam (2010, Tamil, available on Amazon Prime), Arya and Amy Jackson star in this fantastic colonial era star-crossed romance. Bonus shout out to my favorite White Devil Alexx O’Neill! There are some scenes set in the current day that may initially feel a little jarring but stick through it, you won’t regret it.
If you were really into the super historical buff Indian heroes battling it out:
Magadheera (2009, Telugu, it’s… available), director SS Rajamouli’s no holds barred Magadheera was Ram Charan’s debut film. You may remember it going viral for an insane motorcycle stunt…
Baahubali I and Baahubali II (2015, 2017, Telugu, Netflix) SS Rajamouli turns up the action to 11 in this two part epic starring the great Prabhas.
Urumi (2011, Malayam, Tubi/Amazon rental), fantastic historical epic from director Santosh Sivan where Our Hero Prithviraj battles it out against the evil Vasco da Gama.
Asoka (2001, Hindi, Netflix), Shahrukh Khan and Kareena Kapoor star in this historical drama about the famous emperor Asoka, who is credited with helping to spread Buddhism across Asia.
If you were into the brotherly friendship, there’s a wealth of choices for you in Indian cinema but here are two of my favorites:
Sholay (1975, Hindi, Amazon rental), considered one of the great (if not THE great) films of the Bollywood canon, Sholay is director Ramesh Sippy’s ode to the spaghetti western. At its heart is the friendship of Jai and Veeru (played by Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmenda).
Parinda (1989, Hindi, Amazon rental), another film considered to be one of the greatest films in the Bollywood canon. Parinda is essentially the movie that Danny Boyle ripped off for Slumdog Millionaire. Again at its heart is the story of two brothers Kishan and Karan (Jackie Shroff and Anil Kapoor).
If you just want a fun romp:
Dhoom 2 (2006, Hindi, Amazon Prime), one of my all time favorites. It’s just extremely entertaining. Stars Aishwarya Rai and Hrithik Roshan at the height of their youthful attractiveness. No need to watch the first Dhoom, which is a tedious early 2000s slog. Just cue up this one and then if you’re feeling bold, check out the sequel, Chicago-set Dhoom 3.
Dabangg (2010, Hindi, Amazon Prime/Sling TV), another one of my all time favorites. It’s kind of a throwback to an earlier style of filmmaking but with a very modern feel. Stars Salman Khan in one of his coolest avatars of all time: Chulbul Pandey.
And if you’re here for the WTF factor here’s some films to dig into:
A (1998, Kannada, youtube (without subtitles)/try your luck), Upendra’s debut film was a massive blockbuster in his native Karnataka and is pretty mind-blowingly weird. Basically, just watch everything he’s done but start with this one. It begins with him declaring that he’s god and goes on from there.
Eega (2012, Telugu, Sling TV/Amazon rental), another SS Rajamouli joint and possibly his weirdest film to date in which the hero is a fly. Yes, a fly.
No Smoking (2007, Hindi, Sling TV/Amazon Prime), considered a massive flop at the time, it’s gotten something of a second life as a cult classic. It’s mostly a weird dreamscape and lots of lingering shots of the most handsome man on earth at the time, John Abraham.