Making a magnum opus like RRR is no cakewalk. But Ram Charan was assured of pulling off the ambitious period drama for a singular reason — S S Rajamouli. The Baahubali franchise has proved that he is one of the most reliable directors when it comes to mounting a film on a lavish scale. The director has raised the stakes with his latest release that tells the story of two 19th century revolutionaries who fought against the British Raj.

“When you are working with a star of that stature, there are so many ideas coming to your head. You wonder, ‘Will we be able to pull off this vision?’ But everything fell in place because of one man’s vision. We completely surrendered to his vision,” says Charan, who plays Alluri Sitarama Raju in RRR. The film marks his second venture with Rajamouli after Magadheera (2009).

“Over the years, he has evolved as a director to bring a realistic touch to his fictional characters. His writing and characterization have become [more nuanced]; he has understood the market. This is one of my films where I have delivered a subtle performance.”

Considering the story largely revolves around Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem’s friendship and shared ideals, the film hinged on Charan and Jr NTR’s chemistry. The fan clubs of the two south stars are known to be at loggerheads. “We had to have a genuine bond so that it translated on screen. There is genuine fondness for each other.”

RRR, designed as a pan-India film, has extended cameos by Ajay Devgn and Alia Bhatt. Charan is impressed after his first collaboration with Bhatt. “I have been an admirer of her work since Highway [2014]. After Raazi [2018], I became her fan. After working with her, I understood why people love her so much. There were times when I didn’t get my Telugu lines properly, but she got them bang-on. She was a thorough professional.”