SS Rajamouli honored with permanent seat at Cinémathèque Française
What's the story
Celebrated Indian filmmaker SS Rajamouli has been honored with a permanent seat at the prestigious Cinémathèque Française in Paris. The recognition was celebrated with special screenings of his films RRR (2022), Eega (2012), and Baahubali: The Beginning (2015). Oscar-winning Greek-French director Costa-Gavras attended the event, watching Rajamouli's films for eight hours and staying on for a masterclass.
Director's response
'A sweet surprise I never saw coming'
Rajamouli took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his gratitude. He wrote, "Having me here in Paris and screening my films is itself an honor for me. But a sweet surprise I never saw coming." "To have a permanent place in the halls of one of the world's most legendary film institutions...is something I will carry with me forever."
Acknowledgment
Rajamouli thanks Costa-Gavras, Cinémathèque Française
In his post, Rajamouli also thanked Costa-Gavras and the entire Cinémathèque Française family for the honor. He wrote, "My deepest gratitude to the legendary Mr. Costa Gavras and the entire Cinémathèque Française family for this honor, and for embracing Indian cinema with such warmth and love." The event was supported by the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne in association with India's Ministry of External Affairs.
Special moment
Oscar-winning director's dedication to Indian cinema
Costa-Gavras, known for films like Z (1969) and Missing (1982), surprised everyone by turning a short visit into an all-day celebration of Rajamouli's work. Rajamouli's son SS Karthikeya shared on X that the 93-year-old Oscar winner had initially planned to watch only RRR and return another day for Eega. However, he decided to stay back with his wife and experience the rest of the retrospective after watching the first film.
Future project
Meanwhile, on the work front for Rajamouli
Rajamouli is currently working on his next ambitious project, Varanasi. The film stars Mahesh Babu in the lead role and is expected to release globally in April 2027. It also features Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Prithviraj Sukumaran. The film marks Rajamouli's first collaboration with Babu.