RRR director SS Rajamouli reveals why he moved away from religion; Shares his love for Ramayana, Mahabharata

SS Rajamouli, who has taken the nation on the global map with his blockbuster film RRR, is currently the most happening director. Recently, the director interacted in an interview with The New Yorker and opened up about religious fervour, and the influence of Ramayana, and Mahabharata on his films.

It is well known that The Baahubali director is an atheist but he is not always like that. There was a time he deeply believed in god and wore saffron clothes and also lived an ascetic life for a few years. He also shared that his family including his parents, aunts, uncles, and everyone are deeply religious.

The RRR director said, "Then I got caught up in my family's religious fervour. I started reading religious texts, going on pilgrimages, wearing saffron cloth, and living like a sannyasi (ascetic) for a few years. Then I caught onto Christianity, thanks to some friends. I'd read the Bible, go to church, and all kinds of stuff. Gradually, all these things somehow made me feel that religion is essentially a kind of exploitation," he said.

Although Rajamouli is an atheist, he doesn't apply it in his films. SS Rajamouli revealed how the Hindu epics Ramayana and the Mahabharata had a major influence on all his films and love for them was never dismissed. "My love for stories like the Mahabharata or the Ramayana never diminished. Anything that comes out of me is somehow influenced by these texts. Those texts are like oceans: every time I visit them, I find something new. I did start pushing away from those texts' religious aspects, but what stayed with me was the complexity and the greatness of their drama and storytelling," the Magadheera filmmaker added.

About RRR

SS Rajamouli's RRR is based on a fictional meeting of these two historical figures, played by Ram Charan and Jr NTR as Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem respectively. The film also features Alia Bhatt, Ajay Devgn, Shriya Saran, Ray Stevenson, Alison Doody, and Olivia Morris in supporting roles. 

RRR not just impressed Indian audiences but also managed to receive huge acclaim from western and eastern audiences as well. After a massive response in India, the film was also released in the US and Japan with a path-breaking reception. 

SS Rajamouli's next with Mahesh Babu

For his next, SS Rajamouli announced he will be teaming up with Mahesh Babu, tentatively called SSMB29. The director described the film to be a globe-trotting adventure, written by his father Vijayendra Prasad.

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