S. S. Rajamouli

The highest grossing Indian director of all time as well as the highest-paid director in India, S. S. Rajamouli is a director and screenwriter internationally recognized for his works, mainly blockbuster action, fantasy, and epic genre films in Telugu cinema. His acclaimed filmography includes Eega (2012), the Bāhubali duology (2015 - 2017), and RRR (2022). He is a recipient of various national and international honours including a New York Film Critics Circle award, a Critics' Choice Movie Award, two Saturn Awards, and three National Film Awards. In 2016, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri, for his contributions in the field of Art. Rajamouli's films are often characterized by their epic grandeur, larger-than-life characters, stylized action sequences, and unbridled heroism with historical and mythological references. His films are noted for their integration of CGI with practical effects. With his Baahubali films, he has pioneered the pan-Indian film movement, wherein a film is simultaneously released in multiple Indian languages across the country, and made in a way that appeals to the audience cutting across the linguistic and cultural barriers. He is also credited for expanding the market of Telugu cinema and South Indian cinema into North India and international markets.