RRR director S.S. Rajamouli made it to the Pioneers category of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2023 alongside the likes of rapper Doja Cat, model Bella Hadid, YouTuber MrBeast, singer Sam Rivera and fashion designer Thom Browne.
Penning a note on the filmmaker, Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt wrote, “The first time I met S.S. Rajamouli was at the preview of Baahubali 2. We were all extremely starstruck. And even while I was watching the movie, I was like, Oh my God, what a dream it would be to work with this director. Lo and behold, the dream came true.”
"Being directed by him in RRR was like going to school all over again. He knows the audience he’s serving. He knows what beats to hit, what turns to take. I call him the master storyteller, because he genuinely loves the flair and abandon of stories. And he brings us together. India is a massive country with diverse demographics, tastes, and culture. But he gets that—and he unites us through his movies,” she added.
Alia also revealed that she had once asked Rajamouli for advice on acting. “Whatever choice you make, just do that with love. Because even if the film doesn’t work, the audience will see love in your eyes for what you’re doing,” the filmmaker had told her.
Entrepreneur Sam Altman, scientists Dr Britney Schmidt and Dr Peter Davis, skier Mikaela Shiffrin, journalists Niloofar Hamedi and Elaheh Mohammadi, and lawyer Elizabeth Maruma Mrema were some of the other notable names that featured in this category.
Other than Rajamouli, Shah Rukh Khan has also made it to the Time magazine's list. The actor was included in the Icons category. Shah Rukh’s Pathaan co-star Deepika Padukone penned a note on him.
