“RRR” review: The unfettered power of maximalism
“RRR,” 2022, directed by S.S. Rajamouli ★★★★ ½ Indian cinema rarely makes its way to the United States. When movies from India do land in theaters here, they’re usually more pensive art house films unfamiliar to general audiences even in their country of origin. The movies popular in India and South Asia are often written off by American moviegoers as overlong, grossly unsubtle musicals under the often misunderstood banner of “Bollywood,” leaving the biggest blockbusters from India largely isolated from North America. “RRR,” India’s most expensive movie ever made, is one of the first to begin breaking through that barrier. It’s not necessarily subverting American expectations; it’s three hours long, punctuated by several bombastic dance numbers and excessively theatric; but all of those elements work in its favor. Not only is “RRR” unmistakably the biggest movie in India, it’s also popped up in over 100 theaters across the United States, and a Hindi version is available on North Americ...