His first salary was Rs 50 after he dropped out of engineering. He gave 12 hits. Now, Telugu filmmaker is making movie with Mahesh Bhatt, Priyanka Chopra, Prithviraj Sukumaran
SS Rajamouli, the filmmaker behind Baahubali and RRR, celebrates his birthday on October 10. From leaving engineering college to earning just Rs 50 as his first salary, his journey to becoming one of Indian cinema’s most renowned directors has been anything but ordinary. After delivering a string of commercial successes, Rajamouli is now working on Varanasi, an ambitious adventure starring Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Prithviraj Sukumaran.
From engineering college to the world of cinema
Rajamouli did not attend film school. He initially enrolled in an engineering course at Sir C.R. Reddy College of Engineering in Eluru but dropped out before completing it. Instead of following a conventional route into filmmaking, he learnt the craft by working in different roles behind the scenes.
At the pre-release event of Kubera, the director recalled earning Rs 50 during his first job as an assistant editor. It was his first salary before he went on to make films that would reach audiences across India and beyond.
The director also worked in a recording studio and entered television before making his feature-film debut. He directed episodes of the Telugu serial Shanti Nivasam under the supervision of veteran filmmaker K. Raghavendra Rao.
His early years were not financially comfortable either. Although he came from a family connected to the Telugu film industry, the family reportedly faced financial difficulties. His father, screenwriter K. V. Vijayendra Prasad, reportedly shared a small apartment with a number of relatives while he struggled to secure stable employment.
Rajamouli's experience working on television and behind the scenes helped him understand the practical side of filmmaking before he moved to the big screen.
From Student No. 1 to Baahubali and RRR
Rajamouli made his directorial debut in 2001 with the film Student No 1, which starred Jr NTR. Later he came out with films like Simhadri, Sye, Chatrapathi and Vikramarkudu, which created his image as a master of action oriented stories and larger than life heroes.
With Magadheera, he pushed the scale of Telugu commercial cinema further. He later took a different creative route with Eega, a revenge story centred on a housefly. The movie proved his ability to transform an unorthodox concept into a cinematic experience, and despite its peculiar premise, it became a commercial success.
He got a huge career boost with the two-part Baahubali franchise. The films appealed to audiences across language markets and helped to bring Telugu cinema to a broader national audience and called 'pan-Indian films'. Their scale, visual effects and storytelling proved Rajamouli to be a filmmaker who can mount big productions.
He continued the franchise with RRR, which starred Ram Charan and Jr. NTR. The song Naatu Naatu won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, and the movie grabbed attention from all over the world. Rajamouli's work also drew praise from Hollywood filmmakers James Cameron and Steven Spielberg.
Across his 12 feature films, his record has been notable for commercial success, with no film widely regarded as a box-office flop.
Varanasi: SS Rajamouli's next ambitious film
SS Rajamouli is now preparing to take on another large-scale project with Varanasi, which is also associated with the working title SSMB29. The film stars Mahesh Babu as Rudhra, Priyanka Chopra Jonas as Mandakini and Prithviraj Sukumaran as Kumbha.
The adventure is reported to move across different periods and locations, with settings ranging from ancient civilisations to Antarctica, Africa and Varanasi. Reports say portions were filmed in Kenya's Maasai Mara, while elaborate sets recreating parts of the sacred city were built in Hyderabad.
Priyanka has described the project as an epic adventure that travels across the world and through time. She has also spoken about performing action sequences for the film, including slow-motion jumps.
The makers have not officially confirmed the film's budget. However, media reports estimate it at around $150 million, or approximately Rs 1,300 crore to Rs 1,400 crore. If those estimates are accurate, Varanasi would rank among the most expensive Indian productions.
The film is scheduled to release worldwide in theatres on April 7, 2027.
From engineering college to the world of cinema
Rajamouli did not attend film school. He initially enrolled in an engineering course at Sir C.R. Reddy College of Engineering in Eluru but dropped out before completing it. Instead of following a conventional route into filmmaking, he learnt the craft by working in different roles behind the scenes.
At the pre-release event of Kubera, the director recalled earning Rs 50 during his first job as an assistant editor. It was his first salary before he went on to make films that would reach audiences across India and beyond.
The director also worked in a recording studio and entered television before making his feature-film debut. He directed episodes of the Telugu serial Shanti Nivasam under the supervision of veteran filmmaker K. Raghavendra Rao.
His early years were not financially comfortable either. Although he came from a family connected to the Telugu film industry, the family reportedly faced financial difficulties. His father, screenwriter K. V. Vijayendra Prasad, reportedly shared a small apartment with a number of relatives while he struggled to secure stable employment.
Rajamouli's experience working on television and behind the scenes helped him understand the practical side of filmmaking before he moved to the big screen.
From Student No. 1 to Baahubali and RRR
Rajamouli made his directorial debut in 2001 with the film Student No 1, which starred Jr NTR. Later he came out with films like Simhadri, Sye, Chatrapathi and Vikramarkudu, which created his image as a master of action oriented stories and larger than life heroes.
With Magadheera, he pushed the scale of Telugu commercial cinema further. He later took a different creative route with Eega, a revenge story centred on a housefly. The movie proved his ability to transform an unorthodox concept into a cinematic experience, and despite its peculiar premise, it became a commercial success.
He got a huge career boost with the two-part Baahubali franchise. The films appealed to audiences across language markets and helped to bring Telugu cinema to a broader national audience and called 'pan-Indian films'. Their scale, visual effects and storytelling proved Rajamouli to be a filmmaker who can mount big productions.
He continued the franchise with RRR, which starred Ram Charan and Jr. NTR. The song Naatu Naatu won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, and the movie grabbed attention from all over the world. Rajamouli's work also drew praise from Hollywood filmmakers James Cameron and Steven Spielberg.
Across his 12 feature films, his record has been notable for commercial success, with no film widely regarded as a box-office flop.
Varanasi: SS Rajamouli's next ambitious film
SS Rajamouli is now preparing to take on another large-scale project with Varanasi, which is also associated with the working title SSMB29. The film stars Mahesh Babu as Rudhra, Priyanka Chopra Jonas as Mandakini and Prithviraj Sukumaran as Kumbha.
The adventure is reported to move across different periods and locations, with settings ranging from ancient civilisations to Antarctica, Africa and Varanasi. Reports say portions were filmed in Kenya's Maasai Mara, while elaborate sets recreating parts of the sacred city were built in Hyderabad.
Priyanka has described the project as an epic adventure that travels across the world and through time. She has also spoken about performing action sequences for the film, including slow-motion jumps.
The makers have not officially confirmed the film's budget. However, media reports estimate it at around $150 million, or approximately Rs 1,300 crore to Rs 1,400 crore. If those estimates are accurate, Varanasi would rank among the most expensive Indian productions.
The film is scheduled to release worldwide in theatres on April 7, 2027.
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