Acclaimed filmmaker S.S. Rajamouli has revealed that the 1993 Tamil blockbuster Gentleman played a pivotal role in shaping his ambition to direct large-scale cinematic spectacles like Baahubali and RRR.
Reflecting on his early days as a struggling assistant director in Chennai, Rajamouli shared how the groundbreaking film left a lasting impression on him:
“The film Gentleman was released in 1993, during the struggling phase of my career as an assistant director in Chennai. Its grand production, daring action sequences, unique creative style, and immense success captivated me deeply. Gentleman gave me the inspiration and the courage to create large-scale films later in my own cinematic journey.”
Directed by Shankar in his directorial debut and produced by K.T. Kunjumon, Gentleman set a new benchmark for Indian cinema. At a time when high-budget spectacles and advanced visual effects were rare, Kunjumon took a massive gamble on a newcomer, backing a lavish production that rivaled international standards while maintaining a distinctly Indian narrative. The movie also proved to be a landmark career turning point for Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman.
Rajamouli credited director Shankar’s visionary approach and producer Kunjumon’s unprecedented audacity for showing him that Indian films could dream without limits and achieve global appeal.
In related news, reports indicate that Gentleman is currently being remastered with modern technological enhancements for an upcoming re-release in theaters.
