SS Rajamouli Credits Suriya For His Pan-India Success, Regrets Not Working With The 'Kanguva' Star

Director SS Rajamouli, who became a household name across India for pioneering the ‘pan-India phenomenon’ with his blockbuster Baahubali series, credits actor Suriya for being his inspiration.

Director SS Rajamouli, who became a household name across India for pioneering the ‘pan-India phenomenon’ with his blockbuster Baahubali series, credits actor Suriya for being his inspiration. Speaking at the pre-release event for Siva’s Kanguva in Hyderabad on Thursday evening, Rajamouli shared how the actor’s approach influenced his vision.

SS Rajamouli calls Suriya his 'inspiration'

Before Rajamouli took the stage, a video was shown highlighting how he spearheaded the pan-India trend. However, he humbly clarified, “They just played an AV that I began the pan-India trend and all. But let me tell you frankly. The main inspiration for me wanting to take Telugu cinema beyond AP and Telangana is Suriya.”

Rajamouli elaborated that Suriya’s dedication to promoting his films over the years served as motivation. “During Ghajini, Suriya would come here and promote his films. I would tell producers and actors that the way he grew close to the Telugu audience was a case study. That we must push films in other regions too, gain the love of the Tamil audience. Suriya, you are my inspiration for the pan-India film market,” Rajamouli said.

 

SS Rajamouli on working with Suriya

The director also revealed that while there were plans for him to collaborate with Suriya on a film, it ultimately didn’t materialize. “We were once supposed to work on a film together, but it didn’t work out. Suriya mentioned somewhere that it was a missed opportunity for him. But it’s me who missed the opportunity to work with him; I regret it. I love him, his on-screen presence, and his acting so much. I respect that he chose to go after a story rather than a filmmaker though,” he added.

Suriya responded to Rajamouli’s heartfelt words by saying, “In a family, if an elder sibling does well, the rest of the family flourishes because you show the way. This journey started long back, sir. I am shamelessly saying I missed the train. I’m still standing at the railway station, and I hope I get it sometime.”

Upcoming Projects

Rajamouli’s next directorial venture will feature Mahesh Babu in an action-adventure film, which is yet to start production. Details about the cast and crew remain under wraps. Meanwhile, Suriya’s Kanguva is set for a theatrical release on November 14. He is also gearing up to shoot for an upcoming project with director Karthik Subbaraj.