A biography for S. S. Rajamoulihasn’t been written yet.
“I keep my options open about my next story, there will always be those vague discussions at home.”
“Indian epics are full of violence, and such stories have shaped India. As filmmakers, I don't think anyone in India would tone down violence, keeping in mind the censorship.”
“I was very happy when I was doing my first two films: 'Student No.1', 'Simhadri'. I had absolutely no doubts - I would just place my camera at one point and say, 'That is the right way.'”
“150 shooting days is quite normal, which is not the case in Hollywood, as I am told. Most of the big films there are done in 70 or 80 days.”
“I'm well aware that I have put my actors in difficult positions because of my vision, but when they see I work for the betterment of the product, they understand the pain I put them through.”
“After my second film, 'Simhadri,' which was a very big hit, I made 'Sye,' a small college movie with a rugby union backdrop.”
“'Bahubali' is not about big budgets, big visuals, or massive marketing. If a hero, producer, and director in Bollywood can have that kind of trust, something even bigger than 'Bahubali' is possible.”
“If we make films only for the frontbenchers, we can't make money. Hence, we have to make it for a majority audience. As my films are mass films, I deal with emotions in raw form - they are not subtle. I don't mind being branded. That does not mean I like only those kinds of films.”
“I have huge respect for Sridevi ji as a flag-bearer of the southern film industries in Mumbai for many years. I wish her all the best. And I wish 'Mom' a big success, as the trailer looks very intriguing and promising.”
“I am a filmmaker. My job is to make films. When something excites you - a story or characterisation - you immediately forget about everything else. You only think how to make a movie out of it. The economics come only later. You shouldn't let money dictate the kind of films you should make.”
“I can't analyse the secret of success. In my style of working, I stick to the basics and make stories revolving around the hero.”
“In theory I know that if you have a universal theme and a good story told well, it will work everywhere.”
“To be very frank, I never got very good offers from Hindi cinema until 'Eega.' Now, I'm flooded with offers.”
“I don't know how it is in other industries, but as far as our industry is concerned, everybody takes their energy from the director. I myself was very exhausted, but I was acting as if I was full of energy and was pumping it into the whole team.”
“No one can ever create art, even on a piece of paper, as they have envisioned it in their mind.”
“If people get inspired by 'Baahubali' as a film, and they realize they can make a big film or a historical film which has good drama and good visuals, if they realize there are good stories to tell here, then it is good.”
“You go to the edit room and see one scene which has come out fantastically, and you feel the film will set records. By evening, you look at the budget figures or something that hasn't worked out and ask yourself - what if this doesn't work?”
“In childhood, we used to read stories from the Arabian Nights. Why were we so interested when it happened somewhere in Arabia, in a different culture? Until now, we hadn't gone to the Hindi audience with a good story.”
“The consolidated appreciation that 'Eega' is the pride of the Telugu film industry is the biggest award I can get.”
“I wanted to complete 'Maryada Ramanna' in a short time, but it took me almost a year, and now 'Eega' took double the time, but in the end, it was worth it.”