SS Rajamouli’s magnum opus RRR continues to impress critics and audiences alike in the West. And now, the blockbuster has also begun its campaign at the award shows. On Tuesday night, the film won the best international film award at the 50th Anniversary Saturn Awards held in Los Angeles. The awards, given to genre-fiction films, are considered the first stop in the run up to the Oscars, which will be held next year.
Saturn Awards are presented by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, awarding films in science fiction, fantasy, horror, and other genres belonging to genre fiction in films, TV, as well as streaming. RRR beat titles like Downton Abbey: A New Era, Eiffel, I’m Your Man, Riders of Justice, and Silent Night to take home the award for the best international film at the 2022 awards on Tuesday night.
Director SS Rajamouli sent a video acceptance speech from Japan, where is promoting RRR. “I am so glad that our film RRR has won the Saturn Award in the best international film category. I thank the jury on behalf of our entire team. We are super elated,” he said. RRR has now become the second Indian film to win this award. The first, incidentally, was also directed by Rajamouli, something the director also mentioned in his video message. He added, “This is the second Saturn Award for my films. The first one I won was for Baahubali: The Conlusion. I wish I was there in person but due to my prior commitments releated to RRR release in Japan, unfortunately I’m unable to attend. I’d like to congratulate all the other winners.”
RRR was also nominated in the best film direction and best action/adventure film categories. In the first, SS Rajamouli lost out to Matt Reeves, who won the award for The Batman.
RRR, starring Ram Charan and Jr NTR, is a fictionalised account of the early lives of two Indian revolutionaries – Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem. The film is one of the most successful Indian movies of all time with a global gross of over ₹1100 crore and counting. It has also been submitted by its makers for Oscars contention following its positive reception in the US.
