Actor-filmmaker Prithviraj Sukumaran recently showered praise on acclaimed director S.S. Rajamouli, calling him one of the most dedicated filmmakers he has ever worked with. Speaking about Rajamouli’s unmatched work ethic, Prithviraj revealed that the director asks his actors to be on set by 7 AM, but he himself arrives as early as 5:30 AM to meticulously prepare every aspect of the day’s shoot.
According to Prithviraj, Rajamouli spends hours setting up the camera, planning trolley movements, finalizing shot compositions and conducting nearly 15 rehearsals with his direction team before the actors even face the camera. He also noted that Rajamouli is constantly on his feet throughout the day, rarely taking a seat and often being the last person to leave the set. Despite the demanding schedule, the team takes only a brief 20-minute lunch break, reflecting the director’s relentless commitment to filmmaking.
Prithviraj Sukumaran shared a specific incident from the sets of ‘Varanasi’ that has since gone widely viral. He and Mahesh Babu spent an entire day shooting a single scene, racking up somewhere between 94 and 97 takes before the director finally called it a night.“This is not an exaggeration. For one particular shot in the film, Mahesh Babu and I started shooting in the morning. I am not sure whether it was take 94 or 97. Later, we went for a lunch break after hours of filming. However, just when we thought we would have a second mouthful of food, he called us back to the set,” Prithviraj said.
Prithviraj further credited Rajamouli for revolutionizing Telugu cinema on the global stage with the Baahubali franchise, which redefined the scale and reach of Indian cinema. Expressing immense admiration, he said Rajamouli’s passion, discipline and attention to detail are what make him one of the greatest directors in the industry. With the filmmaker now working on his next ambitious project, expectations remain sky-high for yet another cinematic milestone.
