'Shiva' re-release: RGV reveals he took inspiration from Bruce Lee's 'Return of the Dragon' for the Nagarjuna starrer

Ahead of the re-release of Ram Gopal Varma's cult classic 'Shiva' starring Nagarjuna, the filmmaker shared interesting behind-the-scenes details. RGV revealed that parts of 'Shiva' were inspired by Bruce Lee's legendary 1972 martial arts film, 'Return of the Dragon'.

As per a Hindustan Times report, while speaking to the press in Hyderabad, the 63-year-old director shared that he admired Bruce Lee, and his movies had a huge influence on his creative journey. "Initially, I planned to make a small film titled Rathri. Around that time, Venkat suggested I write a story for Nagarjuna. I remember watching Return of the Dragon for the 50th time," he said.

How 'Return of the Dragon' became 'Shiva'

It was during one of those repeated viewings that the filmmaker said he reimagined the entire setup of 'Return of the Dragon', turning its restaurant setting into a college campus. "The Bruce Lee film takes place at a restaurant, and I simply replaced the restaurant backdrop with a college for Shiva. I came up with the one-line idea in just 20 minutes, combining all my college experiences into it," RGV revealed.

About 'Shiva'

Released in 1989, 'Shiva' marked a turning point in Telugu cinema. The film starred Nagarjuna Akkineni, Amala Akkineni, and Raghuvaran in pivotal roles and is about student politics, power struggles, and the rise of violence in college life. The movie's raw energy, powerful dialogues, and narrative made it an instant classic.

RGV's on re-releasing 'Shiva'

The movie has been remastered for 4K streaming quality and converted to Dolby Atmos using advanced AI engineering. During the trailer launch of the film earlier this month. RGV credited Nagarjuna for shaping his career with the film. "My true birth as a filmmaker was given by Nagarjuna. We never imagined we would be here again for the 'Shiva' 4K re-release. I'm grateful for this opportunity and the creative freedom from Nagarjuna. He always believed in technology and encouraged us to use the best available," he said.