Indian Epics Deserve Better Screen Adaptations - SS Rajamouli

Ace filmmaker SS Rajamouli has opened up about his approach to adapting Indian epics for the big screen during a recent podcast. He said he has never been entirely satisfied with how these timeless stories have been portrayed in cinema, despite appreciating several classic mythological films. According to Rajamouli, there is a significant gap between the depth of the original epics and their cinematic adaptations. The thought has stayed with him for years, eventually becoming a personal challenge. He revealed that questioning how he could present these legendary stories differently became one of the key inspirations behind his upcoming film Varanasi, starring Mahesh Babu.

Rajamouli has previously indicated that Varanasi will feature scenes inspired by the Ramayana, further raising expectations among fans following his latest comments. The filmmaker also spoke about the impact of his 2012 film Eega on his confidence as a director. He described it as one of his favourite films and the biggest creative experiment of his career, noting that building a story around a housefly was an unusual idea even by today's standards. While many people divide his career into the pre-Baahubali and post-Baahubali phases, Rajamouli said he personally views his journey as the director he was before and after Eega.