Movie Review: Baahubali: The Beginning (Telugu)

Bāhubali

In a very recent interview with Forbes magazine, on asked about the inspiration behind the film, director S. S. Rajamouli might have as well mirrored my childhood days when he said, "... I was about 7 years old. That was when I was first introduced to the comics called Amar Chitra Katha that are published in India. They're not about a superhero, but they encompass all the stories of India, the folklore, the mythology, everything. But most of these stories are about Indian historical figures. I was fascinated by the forts, the battles, the kings, I not only used to read those stories but I kept telling those stories to my friends in my own way." For I only know the countless hours I've spent devouring those comics, relishing the enthralling mythological stories with a sense of wonder and delight.

Scripted by his father K. V. Vijayendra Prasad, also the writer of the recent box-office hit Bajrangi Bhaijaan, the lavishly mounted magnum opus resting on the strong arms of Rajamouli, is in a way a recreation, a retelling of the age-old battle of good versus evil, of brain and brawn, of adventure, romance, betrayal and valour, but set against a thrilling period backdrop of unknown provenance. The canvas is understandably leviathan in scale, and yet Rajamouli manages to deliver it without any major hiccups. Yes, the script could have been better, Avanthika's character could have been done away with instead of forcing us to sit through the contrived romance that takes the bulk of the first-half, but once the real story kicks in, it's almost impossible not to admire the imagination that goes into overdrive, revealing the intricacies and the repercussions of the dynastic tangle that culminates in an epic battle ever realised on screen. Game-changing, entertaining and spell-binding, Rajamouli's mythical eye-popping spectacle leaves you awestruck. Here's to the perfect blockbuster!