S. S. Rajamouli (born 10 October 1973) is an Indian film director and screenwriter who works in Telugu cinema. He is known for large-scale action and fantasy films, above all the two-part epic Baahubali and RRR, which broke box-office records across India and found audiences worldwide. Every one of his films has been a commercial success. The song “Naatu Naatu” from RRR won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2023.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Koduri Srisaila Sri Rajamouli |
| Born | 10 October 1973, Amareshwara Camp, Raichur district, Karnataka, India |
| Age | 53 |
| Occupation | Film director, screenwriter |
| Father | V. Vijayendra Prasad (screenwriter) |
| Years active | 2001–present |
| Spouse | Rama Rajamouli (m. 2001) |
| Children | 2 (Karthikeya and Mayookha) |
| Honours | Padma Shri (2016) |
Early Life
Rajamouli was born in Karnataka to a Telugu family from Kovvur in Andhra Pradesh. His father, V. Vijayendra Prasad, later became a famous screenwriter, and his cousin M. M. Keeravani is a composer. The family’s fortunes fell after a failed film venture, and Rajamouli grew up reading Amar Chitra Katha comics, which he credits for his love of mythological storytelling. He began as an assistant to an editor and then directed Telugu television serials under the filmmaker K. Raghavendra Rao.
Career
The reincarnation saga Magadheera (2009), starring Ram Charan, became the highest-grossing Telugu film of its time. He followed it with the small comedy Maryada Ramanna and with Eega (2012), in which a murdered man is reborn as a housefly.
Baahubali: The Beginning (2015) and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (2017), written by his father and starring Prabhas, were released in several languages and changed the scale of Indian filmmaking; the second film earned well over ₹1,500 crore worldwide. RRR (2022), with Jr NTR and Ram Charan as two freedom fighters, was a global hit. Besides the Oscar for “Naatu Naatu”, composed by Keeravani, it won a Golden Globe, and Rajamouli was named best director by the New York Film Critics Circle.
He is making Varanasi, an adventure film with Mahesh Babu and Priyanka Chopra Jonas.
Personal Life
Rajamouli married Rama, a costume designer who works on his films, in 2001. Their son, S. S. Karthikeya, is a producer and second-unit director.
Awards and Honours
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was S. S. Rajamouli born?
S. S. Rajamouli was born on 10 October 1973 in Amareshwara Camp, Raichur district, Karnataka, India and is 53 years old.
What is S. S. Rajamouli’s occupation?
Occupation: Film director, screenwriter.
What honours has S. S. Rajamouli received?
Padma Shri (2016).
Featured image: S. S. Rajamouli (right) at the closing ceremony of the International Film Festival of India, Goa, 28 November 2016. Photo by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, licensed under Government Open Data License – India, via Wikimedia Commons.
