SS Rajamouli, in a special interview with Prashanth Neel, Prabhas, and Prithviraj, said he is disappointed that Salaar Part 1: Ceasefire will not have Shruti Haasan dancing.
Time and time again, SS Rajamouli continues to establish himself as a quintessential commercial filmmaker dedicated to keeping the audience entertained. While many filmmakers are moving away from incorporating dance and item numbers in their films, the Baahubali director believes that the absence of such elements would be missed by the audience. In a special interview featuring Prashanth Neel, Prabhas, and Prithviraj, Rajamouli expressed his disappointment that the upcoming movie “Salaar” doesn’t include a dance number.
Rajamouli, a huge fan of Shruti Haasan’s dance skills, revealed that he often re-watches her songs on his phone and TV. Expressing his regret about the absence of a dance number in Salaar Part 1: Ceasefire, where Shruti plays a significant role, he stated, “One of the complaints that I have with Salaar is that… two songs I watch on my phone or TV are her party song from Race Gurram and Charusheela from Srimanthudu. I just love her dancing.”
Prashanth Neel responded, “We initially thought of putting something like a mass number or a duet. But we got sucked into the drama of the film so much that we never used Shruti for glamour. She is very much a part of the story and plays a strong role. And I think the world has sort of changed.” He emphasized that the film’s focus shifted to the dramatic aspects, and the team decided to prioritize the narrative over commercial elements.
Rajamouli acknowledged the changing landscape of filmmaking, stating, “I think more than the world, I think we have changed. The world has always been accepting of films without songs and other elements. We filmmakers were not confident enough and added other things to films. Now, you have become confident.”
Prabhas mentioned that Hombale Films supported the director’s decisions, enabling them to be bold and confident in their creative choices.
The conversation also delved into Prashanth Neel’s unique preferences, such as his “OCD with monochrome” and his particular attention to hairstyling. Prithviraj humorously shared incidents of Neel’s insistence on black costumes and meticulous hairstyling on set. Prabhas added, “It is his problem, nothing else. I understood when I saw him go behind the mother (Eswari Rao) and start pulling her hair out. I was like, ‘Who pulls the hair like that?’” Rajamouli concluded by explaining his own emphasis on details, saying, “I understand it because, in emotional scenes, I want the characters’ hair to fly in a certain way.”
