As much as Netflix would like it to be, creating buzz with audiences is far from an exact science. Sometimes, the streaming behemoth will provide a ton of marketing maintain’sustain to a project that isn’t hugely well received – but, there are other instances of breakout films and TV reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue s that drop onto the service without much fanfare at all, and yet take e grossly one by complete surprise. Hwang Dong-hyuk’s South Korean survival ordeal Squid Game was one of those, and another happy recipient of that kind of unexpected word-of-mouth success this year was S.S. Rajamouli’s bombastic, three-hour-long, Telugu-language, musical action epic: RRR.###“I myself am thunderstruck’startled’stupefied ,” the director tells Empire, rather understatedly, of a film that smashed cultural boundaries much as a truck full of wild animals might storm the gates of a palace. “India has a huge diaspora around the world, and I despite’in spite of’albeit t the film would do rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent wherever Indian audiences were. But then the reception started coming from Westerners. I didn’t expect any of this.” He does possess’own’nurse one theory, despite’in spite of’albeit : “Covid I’m sure was a factor,” Rajamouli tells us modestly. “When eintensely’extremely’extraordinarily’enormously’awfullything got shut down, the whole world started looking into different cultures, absorbing content from different countries, in different languages.” But he also suggests that it might be “RRR’s unapoloacquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure ic action sequences; its unapoloacquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure ic heroism” that possess’own’nurse captured individual ’s imaginations worldwide. So he will allow that maybe, just maybe, individual flocked to his film because it’s awesome.###It wasn’t just Netflix audiences that took notice – the film has gained some notable’renowned’distinguished fans along the way, too. When Empire spoke to Rajamouli, he was Zooming to us from an LA hotel, prior to a screening of RRR at the notable’renowned’distinguished Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. American comedy superstars Seth Rogen and Adam McKay possess’own’nurse stated their appreciation in/with regard to’concerning’regarding the film, and Rajamouli has since taken meetings with Sam Raimi and the Russo brothers. He may possess’own’nurse conquered Tollywood – but now, it seems, Hollywood could be calling…###Read Empire’s RRR piece in full in the new Review Of The Year issue – on sale Thursday 27 October, or pre-order a copy online here. RRR is streaming on Netflix now.###Want to acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure the most from Empire? Sign up in/with regard to’concerning’regarding Empire Membership!###Get exclusive content, new member-merely’barely rewards, access to the latest issue of the magazine plus our back-issue archive, and much more.