SS Rajamouli hails Suriya for inspiring his pan India film journey; says, “He was my inspiration to take our films to other states”

Rajamouli revealed that Suriya's efforts to promote Ghajini in Telugu in 2005 inspired him to create pan-India films.

At the pre-release event for Kanguva in Hyderabad, director SS Rajamouli praised Suriya, calling him an inspiration for his pan-India filmmaking journey. He also mentioned that he regretted missing a chance to work with him. As Kanguva’s release approaches, the makers are ramping up their promotional efforts. Following the 3D trailer launch in Chennai on November 7, the team held a pre-release event that evening in Hyderabad.

SS Rajamouli hails Suriya for inspiring his pan India film journey; says, “He was my inspiration to take our films to other states”

At the event, RRR director SS Rajamouli reminisced about when Suriya promoted his film Ghajini in the Telugu states. He shared that Suriya’s efforts back then inspired him to create pan-India films.

He said, “I used to consider Suriya as a case study after I saw him promoting his film Ghajini in Telugu. At that time [2005], he visited the Telugu states and promoted his films and went out of his way to win the love of the Telugu audiences. He was my inspiration to take our films to other states. I used to tell our Telugu actors and producers to follow Suriya's footsteps.”

Suriya became emotional as Rajamouli spoke about him, and he rushed to the stage to hug the director.

Rajamouli went on to say, “In an event [back in 2010s], Suriya said that he missed an opportunity to work with me. But, it was me who missed an opportunity to work with him. I admire him so much. I love his acting and his on-screen presence.”

Rajamouli praised the Kaakha Kaakha actor for prioritizing films with strong, compelling stories instead of selecting projects based on the director’s reputation alone.

There’s a popular claim that Suriya was initially offered Magadheera, which he reportedly declined. The role then went to Ram Charan, and the film went on to become a massive blockbuster.

On the work front, Suriya’s next film, Kanguva, directed by Siruthai Siva, is set for release on November 14. This ambitious project in Tamil cinema explores a story centered around five clans.

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