Rajamouli Roped In For Prabhas’ Publicity

A  note of desperate  anxiety crept into the promotions of  the new Prabhas starrer as  the day of release  approached. The  advance booking  counters  in the Hindi belt  showed  a  downward spiral during the days  approaching the  release.

In sheer  desperation Prabhas  has now shouted  out to his  dear friend S S Rajamouli to help promote Radhe Shyam.

A  reliable source  from Hyderabad informs, “Prabhas called Rajamouli  saying he was  worried about Radhe Shyam specially in the Hindi belt. Rajamouli suggested  that he  do an interview with Prabhas  on  Radhe Shyam. Prabhas was game.”

Directors roping in to actors to  promote their films together is  not unknown. But a  filmmaker being called in to promote  a film that he has  not directed is    almost unheard of.

In the interview  Prabhas can be  seen teasingly  asking his best friend Rajamouli why Prabhas is  not part  of  RRR. “Even  a small cameo,  since we are  old friends? I think your like  NTR Jr and Ramcharan more than me.”

This is  all in jest, please note.So no scoops here. The  thing to  note is that Prabhas and Rajamouli are  very old friends.The friendship goes back to  long before Baahubali.

   Baahubali  was planned with Prabhas from the start. I remember when director  S S Rajamouli told me about the project the first time, I asked him why he didn’t opt for a Bollywood A-lister to give it  a pan-India  feel  and appeal.

Rajamouli had patiently explained that it was a commitment he had made to the actor.

 Rajamouli used the word  ‘commitment’ as if I need to study it properly before questioning it. “When one  is  committed to do something, nothing else  matters. Whether Prabhas is  known outside the South or not is irrelevant  to me.I can assure you he  will be known  all over  the world after Baahubali,” Rajamouli snubbed me politely.

No truer prophecy  in the history of Indian cinema