India’s ‘RRR’ an unlikely underdog in Hollywood awards race

By RYAN PEARSON
AP Entertainment Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hollywood’s awards season has found an unlikely underdog in “RRR.” S.S. Rajamouli’s three-hour maximalist action epic is one of India’s most expensive and top-grossing films of all time. It pairs two of the country’s biggest stars, N.T. Rama Rao Jr. and Ram Charan, topping Netflix streaming charts over the summer. But the Academy Awards generally shun foreign films and over-the-top action movies in prestige categories. To give their film a final push, Rama Rao Jr. and Charan traveled to Los Angeles to attend the Golden Globes, mingle with the likes of Cate Blanchett at parties, and attend packed screenings like the one that featured a riotous dance party at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.