Los Angeles (PTI): "RRR" star Ram Charan says they will "host a big party" if SS Rajamouli ever gets an opportunity to direct a Marvel Studios film.

Charan is currently in the US to promote the period epic action "RRR'' ahead of the 95th Academy Awards where the film is nominated in the Original Song category for its Telugu track "Naatu Naatu".

The actor, who features in the global blockbuster alongside Jr NTR, took to Instagram on Friday to share snippets of his interview with website Entertainment Tonight.

When the interviewer quizzed him about the vision that can be "brought together" if Rajamouli directs a Marvel film, Charan said, "Wow. We are going to host you a big party if that happens. She is one of the first people to say this and fingers crossed, I really hope that happens. It is for my director."

Asked if he would like to feature in the Marvel or Star Wars franchise, the actor said he wanted to be in "every film, in every country where people appreciate cinema".

"I want to be in every franchise where people are watching it and buying the tickets. I want to be in every film, in every country where people appreciate art in the films and cinema basically. Cinema is becoming the global cinema. It's no more Holywood, Bollywood. It's burning all the woods and becoming a global cinema. And I am so fortunate to be a part of that."

"RRR" follows a pre-Independence fictional story woven around two real-life Indian revolutionaries - Alluri Sitarama Raju (Charan) and Komaram Bheem (Jr NTR) - in the 1920s.

The film also features Alia Bhatt, Ajay Devgn, and Shriya Saran in key roles. It is the first Indian film in over two decades to be nominated for the Academy Awards.

"Naatu Naatu" has already scooped up a Golden Globe win -- the first Indian song to do so.

Charan is in the US along with Rajamouli, composer MM Keeravani and co-star Jr NTR.

In another interview, the actor opened up about his father, cinema icon Chiranjeevi's reaction to the Oscar nomination for the film.

"It is emotional for all of us. It is emotional for my dad who is waiting there. Before taking my flight, he was so sentimental that I was coming here. In 154 films he has done and 42 years he has been working, he has been to the Oscars in the 80s and that too for an appearance, and that also he felt was a huge achievement.

"But today we have been nominated and in the list and now waiting," he said during an appearance on podcast Talk Easy.

At the upcoming Oscars ceremony in Los Angeles on March 12, "Naatu Naatu" singers Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava are set to perform the song.

 

 
 
 
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New Delhi, Apr 3 (PTI): The iconic Taj Mahal in Agra earned the "highest income" through the sale of tickets among the ASI-protected monuments from FY19-20 to FY23-24, according to data shared by the government.

Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat shared the data in a written response to a query in Rajya Sabha.

He was asked the amount that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has received from selling entry tickets to various monuments in the last five years, year-wise and monument-wise; and the monuments that have received the highest income through selling entry tickets in the last five years.

In his response, the minister shared the data in a tabular form for cycles of financial years ranging from FY19-20 to FY23-24.

According to the data, Taj Mahal earned the top slot for all five years.

The Mughal-era architectural wonder was commissioned by Emperor Shah Jehan in the 17th century and it is considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.

In FY19-20, the Agra Fort in Agra and Qutub Minar in Delhi were in the second and third positions.

In FY20-21, the Group of Monuments Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu and Sun Temple, Konark were in the second and third positions. In FY23-24, Qutub Minar and Red Fort of Delhi were in the second and third positions.