Ratna Pathak Shah calling SS Rajamouli's RRR 'regressive' is an exaggeration of epic proportions

As SS Rajamouli’s magnum opus RRR gears up for a dream run at the award season in the US, back home, veteran actress Ratna Pathak Shah shared her displeasure with the Telugu blockbuster, calling it ‘regressive’. According to a report in the Free Press Journal, Shah was at a book launch event at YWCA’s Lady Willingdon Hostel in Mumbai when she shared her thoughts on the film. “Films like RRR are so popular today. But it’s a regressive film. It looks backwards while we should look forward. We just feel whatever we are doing is good because we are part of the mother of democracy — India”, Shah was quoted by the FPJ as saying. The report does not mention if Shah delved deep into the reasons or came up with specific examples/scenes from the film which she found regressive. However, the report does attribute another quote to the actress – “Until filmmakers will not see their work critically, we will have to watch films like RRR. But we don’t like criticism. Our ego gets hurt. This atmosphere is created by so many big people and unfortunately, we have accepted it”.

Since not much is known about why the veteran actress finds the film problematic, based on the conversation that followed at the said book launch, it seems that it had a role to play with the women characters in the film. Of course, one would find it difficult to argue against a critical comment which isn’t backed by supporting arguments or specific scenes which the said person found problematic. But we’ll be lying to ourselves if we say RRR is even slightly regressive. For starters, the friendship between Rama and Bheem is one that isn’t rooted in misogyny or hatred for women in contrast to a Pushpa: The Rise where Allu Arjun’s character forces himself on Srivalli or a KGF: Chapter 2 where Rocky bhai calls Reena (who he kidnaps) ‘entertainment’. The friendship is rooted in a common goal – to protect one’s land against the British colonizers who claim ‘the sun never sets on the British empire’. If anything, rooting a friendship between two men in their mutual hatred for the White British colonizers is quite progressive  Towards the end of the film, Rama and Bheem’s strength and will power helps them claim the land that is rightfully theirs. The tussle between the colonizers and the natives is a common trope that was seen across films and TV shows across the globe in 2022 and most handled it with the seriousness and respect that such a conflict requires.

We are very grateful to share that #RRRMovie made it to the nominations of #GoldenGlobes for the – – & the . pic.twitter.com/SNJ09sMlPI

— RRR Movie (@RRRMovie) December 12, 2022

In fact, one can go as far as appreciating Rajamouli’s RRR for giving us the perfect antidote to the hypermasculine, chest-thumping nationalism full of preachy gyaan and lengthy, rousing speeches that one has come to associate with Akshay Kumar, the poster boy of nationalism in India. As opposed to a WhatsApp forward film like Ram Setu, full of factual inaccuracies, RRR is rooted in patriotism that doesn’t demonize any particular community in its pursuit to give a pro-India message. In fact, we see Jr NTR’s Bheem disguise himself as a Muslim man and stay with a hospitable Muslim family in an effort to save a young Malli. In fact, many of Bheem’s men who are trying to help him save Malli and fight the British guards are also Muslims. Much like Rama and Bheem, these men also play a key role in the fight against the colonizers. Add to it the inclusion of the Gond tribe, one of the largest tribal groups in India, only makes RRR more diverse and inclusive in its discourse. How, then, Ms Shah found RRR regressive is indeed a mystery. Perhaps, RRR might be the most progressive Indian film that has been made in 2022 despite the growing trend of hyper-nationalist films.

As for the criticism on women characters in the film, rarely have we seen female solidarity and sisterhood depicted on the screen the way bromance between Rama and Bheem is depicted in RRR. We don’t have an Enola Holmes, a Stranger Things or even a House of the Dragon where protagonists, antagonists and key characters are all played by women. There is a long way to go but must we demean and criticize a film that breaks away from the toxic male heroes and gives us a friendship between two cisgender heterosexual men rooted in human values as opposed to misogyny? Must a director who makes a film that doesn’t play into the same old sexist tropes be critiqued and called ‘regressive’? Sure, RRR doesn’t have prominent women characters barring Sita (Alia Bhatt) and Jenny (Olivia Morris). But shouldn’t a departure from the KGF-esque misogyny be at least acknowledged? This is not to say that our directors should be celebrated for merely having women with agency in their films. But must we pin down and discourage a positive change, no matter how little or insignificant it may be?

Or perhaps, one can ask Ms Shah if she prefers films like Jayeshbhai Jordaar which have their heart at the right place but fail miserably when it comes to execution. Even in Jayeshbhai Jordaar, where Ms Shah plays a prominent role, it is a man who saves the day, much like RRR which the veteran actress finds ‘regressive’. In the past, Ms Shah has made very pertinent points about the representation of women in films and more particularly on the state of cinema. But calling RRR regressive will make people go – thoda zyaada ho gaya. Or as Maya Sarabhai, from the cult sitcom Sarabhai vs Sarabhai would say, “Monisha, ‘exaggeration of epic proportions’ bolo, ye ‘thoda zyada ho gaya’ is too middle class!”

Deepansh Duggal is an entertainment, pop-culture and trends writer based in New Delhi. He specializes in op-eds based on the socio-political and gender issues in the world of entertainment and showbiz. He also writes explainers and occasionally reviews shows in the OTT space. He tweets at @Deepansh75. 

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