How SS Rajamouli crushed the skull cap controversy with RRR. Explained

Director SS Rajamouli's RRR courted controversy when politicians and people took offense to Jr NTR wearing a skull cap. He played the role of freedom fighter, Komaram Bheem.

Director SS Rajamouli's long-pending film, RRR, finally graced the cinemas today, March 25, in multiple languages. Back in 2020, when the makers released a teaser titled Ramaraju for Bheem, it courted controversy. In the promo, Jr NTR, who played Komaram Bheem, was seen wearing a skull cap and soorma (kohl). A certain section of people took offence and cautioned the makers. However, SS Rajamouli remained unfazed and crushed the whole controversy with his film.

In this piece, we will tell you how the entire controversy turned out to be completely unnecessary in the long run.

WHAT WAS THE CONTROVERSY ALL ABOUT?

On October 22, 2020, the RRR team unveiled a promo titled Ramaraju for Bheem featuring Jr NTR. For the unversed, he plays the role of Komaram Bheem, who revolted against the Nizams and the Britishers. Komaram Bheem also fought for the welfare of the Gond tribe.

Soon after the promo was released, many raised their eyebrows as Jr NTR's character wore a skull cap and soorma (kohl) in it. A certain section of people, including politicians, felt that SS Rajamouli was distorting facts and raised their voices against it.

At an election rally, Telangana's Siddipet BJP State President and Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay warned Rajamouli to remove the scenes. He went ahead and said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would object to the film's release. He said, "Komaram Bheem led a heroic fight and featuring him in a skull cap is not acceptable. Can Rajamouli make a film casting a Muslim leader of the old city area of Hyderabad or any Nawab of the Nizam's regime with a tilak on his forehead and sporting saffron?"

HOW DID RAJAMOULI CRUSH THE SKULL CAP CONTROVERSY?

RRR's screenwriter Vijayendra Prasad (father of SS Rajamouli) revealed the reason behind Komaram Bheem's Muslim portrayal. The team of RRR remained unperturbed by the controversy. They went ahead with the film's shooting and refrained from removing the scenes.

 

In several interviews, SS Rajamouli made it clear that RRR was a fictional work and not a retelling of the lives of the two freedom fighters. RRR shows Jr NTR as the mighty Bheem, who is a protector of the Gond tribe. As the Britishers forcefully take away a child from their tribe, Bheem moves to Delhi.

 

To keep his identity a secret, he stays with a Muslim family and is often seen wearing a skull cap. In a scene, Jr NTR's Bheem thanks the family for taking him and supporting his cause. Even when he is in trouble, he makes sure that the family doesn't suffer and protects them with his life.

 

With this, SS Rajamouli proved that the entire uproar against RRR turned out to be inconsequential. He maintained a dignified silence throughout and let his film do all the talking.

News  is originally taken from: https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/how-ss-rajamouli-crushed-the-skull-cap-controversy-with-rrr-explained-1929406-2022-03-25

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