SS director Rajamouli might have believed he was creating the biggest multistarrer in the history of Tollywood for the current generation.
However, little did he know he was also introducing a toxic fan culture and escalating fan wars. The rest is history—RRR became a blockbuster not only in India but also in the West. But it left behind an indelible mark on Tollywood fandoms, amplifying fan wars and abuses to unprecedented levels.
A section of fans and Rajamouli himself branded one of the RRR heroes as a “side hero,” and this propaganda worked to the extent that many started to believe it, even though the director gave equal importance to both heroes in the story.
Post-RRR, fan wars turned uglier, focusing on questions like, “Who is the bigger star?” and “Who commands more stardom and collections?”
Since then, NTR teamed up with Koratala Siva and delivered Devara, an average product that turned into a solid profitable venture, collecting $6 million in North America.
On the other hand, Ram Charan collaborated with proven pan-India director Shankar but delivered a massive disaster, resulting in over 50% losses for the U.S. distributor.
Not just in box office collections but also in terms of stardom, NTR is miles ahead when comparing their post-RRR projects.
Now, Ram Charan faces his biggest challenge—to deliver a massive hit and prove that he cannot be underestimated.
