RRR SS Rajamouli continues to achieve new milestones in Japan. Starring Ram Charan and Jr NTR, the film became a blockbuster in Japan and additional IMAX screens were added, leading to an increase in attendance, according to a report in Variety. According to the news portal, the film grossed ¥67.4 million ($519,000) over the weekend, bringing its total to ¥650 million ($5 million).
The historical epic swept around Rajinikanth’s Muthu, which grossed JPY 400 million (US$3.07 million) in 1998. Other high-grossing films in Japan include SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali: The Conclusion, Aamir Khan’s 3 Idiots, Sridevi’s English Vinglish, Kumar’s PadMan, Akshay and Baahubali: The Beginning.
After its release in March last year, RRR has gradually become a global phenomenon in the West, with many acclaimed filmmakers such as James Gunn and Scott Derrickson praising the film. The film got its own Honest Trailer and Pitch Meeting, a first for an Indian film. RRR also won the Golden Globe for Best Song for ‘Naatu Naatu’ and all eyes are on the Oscars where the song has been shortlisted for a nomination.
Speaking to Seth Meyers earlier about the overwhelming success of RRR, SS Rajamouli said, “I basically make films for Indians, in India and around the world. So, when we started getting recognition from the West, our first thought was – these guys must be friends of the Indians who went to see the film.” He added: “Then as it started to increase, then celebrities, screenwriters, film directors, so many people started tweeting about it and talking about the movie on social media. They started promoting the movie by word of mouth, we thought it was okay, it’s growing a lot more. Then it came out on Netflix and it was in the top 10 for 15 consecutive weeks.”
