SS Rajamouli revealed an unspoken intent of his through RRR which was to bring the people of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana closerOn December 9, 2009, the then Union Home Minister P Chidambaram announced that the Central government would start the process of forming a separate Telangana State. This decision was met with vociferous protests from the people of Andhra Pradesh leading to the Samikhyandhra movement that sought to counter the Telangana agitation. Although the Central government was forced to revoke its decision for political compulsions, it nevertheless could not stem the emotional divide between the peoples of both regions instigated masterfully by politicians with vested interests. Eventually, on March 14, 2014, the government of India declared June 2, 2014 as Telangana Formation Day. It was the day when the heart of every Andhraite was shattered because they looked upon the ‘declaration’ as a vindication of all the allegations hurled against them by politicians from the rival camp. The entire process of bifurcation could have been dealt with in an efficient and responsible manner doing justice equally to the peoples of both regions but politics took precedence over ‘dharma’ and Telangana got the bumper harvest in the form of ‘Hyderabad’ while residual Andhra Pradesh was left economically devastated. Millions of people of Andhra Pradesh who reside in Telangana or more specifically Hyderabad continue with their lives today. There is no law-and-order problem and life continues as before, the only notable change being the replacement of the name boards carrying the signs of the previous Andhra government with those of Telangana. Yet, the hearts of peoples of both regions are probably scarred forever. No two brothers can come out of a property dispute with their relationship intact. Therefore, can cinema heal where the politicians have failed?RRR which has put both Telugu and Indian cinema on the global map with its spectacular box-office run and Golden Globe win is now going for the biggest prize of all: The Oscars! There has been no dearth of acclaim for this Rajamouli epic from either the Orient or the West. RRR is the fictionalized account of two freedom fighters Alluri Seeta Rama Raju and Komaram Bheem who take on the might of the British Empire. The common foe, the British managed to bring the whole of India on to a single page where every member of the audience could connect to the film. At the same time, there was another subtle message delivered by Rajamouli to the Telugu people which by and large went unnoticed but could have perhaps sunk into the subconscious of the viewers. It was inspired by the bifurcation of the State. In an interview given to prominent Hollywood portal Variety, Rajamouli said, “I had this thought that Komaram Bheem is from the Telangana region and Alluri Sitarama Raju is from the Andhra region. So, if I can bring those two heroes together, it’s my way of saying we are one, we are not separate.” After bifurcation, there were many changes in Telugu cinema where the lead actors started to speak in a Telangana dialect and even mainstream newspapers started putting out headlines in the Telangana language. Yet, these were more likes responses to changes in the market place, which makes Rajamouli’s effort all the more commendable. Probably, the only other movie post-bifurcation that made a genuine attempt at reconciliation was Sekhar Kammula’s Fidaa. The heroine of the film Bhanumathi (Sai Pallavi) hails from Banswada in Telangana and the rural ambience and customs of the region were displayed in their pristine glory. It was precisely this sort of integration that was lacking in earlier times which gave politicians an opportunity to drive a wedge among people. Having said that, will lingering on to the past and repeatedly espousing our commonality sink into minds prejudiced irrevocably against us? Is it not akin to a jilted lover still hankering for his beloved who has moved on? Despite all the nobleness inherent in their intentions, filmmakers should probably restrict themselves to viewing their work of art as a medium of entertainment for the masses. Although we have no right to impinge on their perception of cinema, in the long run, the people will benefit from carrying on with their lives (dictated to by politicians) instead of trying to salvage something from the past which can only end up as an exercise in futility.