RRR: Behind & Beyond

A documentary about the making of a film. The subject is a large-budget Indian production. It was shot after a long preparation and the work stopped repeatedly because of the pandemic. The documentary is built on footage from the set. It shows what happened behind the camera: building the sets, working with animals, organising crowd scenes and preparing dangerous shots. The section given the most room is a dance sequence. The choreography was built over weeks of rehearsal and the filming took hundreds of takes; the physical endurance of the two actors is the subject there. The second line is the director's way of working. He draws every shot in advance, builds the scene in his head and applies it step by step on set. The documentary also covers the film's international circulation: screenings abroad, the reactions of audiences and the awards season. The narrative is not critical; it is a record prepared from the production's own side and does not hide it. Among those speaking are the director, the actors and the technical crew. It was released on a streaming service. A direct source for anyone interested in behind-the-scenes documentary and the scale of production in Indian cinema. For a viewer expecting a critical view, the film stands close to its subject and keeps no distance.