bRRRomance

Indian action epic ‘RRR’ becomes instant gay classic for its unintentional homoerotic vibes

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Photo Credit: Variance Films

Perhaps you’ve heard rumblings—or, “roarings,” we should say—about the high-octane Indian blockbuster, RRR (“Rise Roar Revolt”).

The Telugu-language epic from Baahubali director S. S. Rajamouli was an international box office smash when it premiered in theaters this spring, breaking records to become the third highest-grossing film in India and the fourth highest-grossing Indian film.

After hitting Netflix in late May, RRR has climbed the streamer’s charts, reaching new audiences in America who have fully embraced its go-for-broke maximalism… and it’s pretty obvious homoerotic undertones.

While its not explicitly queer, RRR centers on an action-hero bromance, of sorts, that has fans heralding it as a “queer fantasy” that’s “heartwarmingly gay” and “fun, camp, and full of hot guys.”

Check out the trailer and see for yourself:

Its story concerns two mythologized—but very real—Indian revolutionaries: Komaram Bheem (N.T. Rama Rao Jr.), a Gondi leader who fought to keep colonialists off of tribal lands, and Alluri Sitarama Raju (Konidela Ram Charan), a man who lead guerilla campaigns against police and British authorities. Pretty b*d*ass, the both of them.

In imagining what would happen if these two Indian folk heroes had met, RRR stages an over-the-top action melodrama for the ages, bestowing its dual protagonists with superhero-like abilities and delivering some of the wildest set pieces you’ve ever seen. Brought together in their anti-imperialist mission, Bheem and Raju share a deep bond that, yes, feels more than a little gay.

Photo Credit: Variance Film

As they wage a fiery warfare on the corrupt powers that be, an undeniable spark grows between them, and fans are having a heyday online, calling attention to its most homoerotic moments and ‘shipping the hunky heroes Bheem and Raju.

And while some international outlets find it amusing that Western audiences are viewing RRR as “a gay movie,” there’s no denying that the new wave of attention has been great for the film’s business.

On June 1, one-night-only screenings in New York and Los Angeles (dubbed “encoRRRes”) were received rapturously—so much so that U.S. distributor Variance Films has just announced daily screenings in each city, “and if you keep coming, we’ll keep going.”

So, just how gay is RRR? Here’s what fans have to say on Twitter…

RRR‘s “encoRRRe” presentation is happening now in select theaters—more details here—and is currently streaming exclusively on Netflix. Sounds like great Pride Month viewing to us!