After watching RRR, I immediately made several connections between the action packed film and the many war dramas made in china.
First of all, it is quite clear that RRR and war dramas in China both share a similar historical setting, which involves exploring similar themes such as selfless heroism and nationalism. In RRR, the film focuses on the struggle between the Indian people and their colonizers, focusing on their resistance against imperialist forces. Likewise, Chinese War dramas often focus on themes of nationalism and patriotism, showcasing the resilience and bravery of Chinese fighter and civilians, defending against the Japanese invaders.
The similarities between the two types of film most likely explains the film techniques utilized in the films. Both genres tend to have dramatic portrayals of historical events by incorporate well designed action scenes that are larger than life. These film techniques include VFX and CGI, as shown by the inclusion of hundreds of animals in the film as well the protagonist fighting the tiger. The animals are not real and are clearly included in post production. Even more, the incorporation of slow motion and time manipulation allow filmmakers to emphasize on key moments during a scene, heightening the scene’s impact and making it more memorable for the audience. I have included a clip of a Chinese War drama as well as a clip of RRR below which I think is extremely similar to each other. Feel free to check them out!
The slow motion of the tiger attacking at around 1:51
Slowmotion of the characters falling/flying from the rooftop:
Hello David,
I was also reminded of Chinese war dramas while I was watching RRR. The exaggerated action sequence, slow motion takes, and dramatic music are some of the similarities they share. I think also the theme is slightly different – as most Chinese war dramas are often said to be a form of nationalist propaganda – the techniques they use are very similar. It feels different watching them though – I always thought those action scenes in Chinese war dramas were a bit cringe to watch but it felt different watching RRR. I don’t know if it is my personal prejudice towards that form of art but I think this helped me realized how I shouldn’t ‘discriminate’ against some film techniques and that it can be used in different ways to tell a story.