Perhaps no movie in recent times has had the pulse of the audience racing and waiting for as “Baahubali 2”. The prequel was a riot hit and the box office status of the sequel was a foregone conclusion. Rajamouli had set the bar high with “Baahubali” and with the second installment has he gone further?
The “flashback” story again is not alien to any Indian movie fan, for someone who has been on a staple diet since childhood on mythological stories that include jealousy, back stabbing, loyalty, strength and valour, Vijayendra Prasad i.e the story writer gives us all these emotions in abundance. Yes the sequel is much more dramatic than the beginning and the focus less on grandeur and visual extravaganza. Rajamouli with his interesting screenplay manages to get the attention of the audience, though you do at times feel could it have been more engrossing, yet there are many goose bump moments that makes you marvel at the way the scenes have been crafted. Yet on the downside whereas the first part had some ingeniously choreographed action this one has a very “masalaic” action and a very lengthy “unintelligent” climax.
Every interview the director Rajamouli has not forgotten to mention the sacrifice Prabhas the hero of the film made for this movie. The sequel shows why, Prabhas as “Baahubali” has given in it all and comes out with a very convincing performance. Raana as the villain is quite good, while it is the women in the sequel in the form of Ramya Krishnan and Anushka Shetty who perform with aplomb. Satyaraj waltzes through in his role while Nassar provides able support.
Baahubali is known for its technical wizardry and Senthil Kumar behind the camera does not disappoint and he is in soaring form, but the VFX could definitely have been slightly better. The costume designing was top notch while the production values hit the right buttons. Music by Keeravani is wonderful and you wonder if it could have been bettered. The back ground score is the soul of the film and accentuates the scenes. The songs are good while the dialogues laced with a little humour as well clicks.
There is already a lot being said about what a fantastic director Rajamouli is and any more will be cliché. It can well be told emphatically that there is hardly any director in Indian cinema who can amazingly craft powerful sequences that sets the pulse racing as him. His sense of narration that manages to appeal to all the sections of the audience is hard to replicate. His conviction in selecting simple scripts and to provide astounding treatment is simply brilliant. Rajamouli just bamboozles the viewers with his acute sense of craftsmanship. If we were to compare the sequel with the prequel, it has to be said it is not better, nor does it fall woefully short. In B2 Rajamouli sticks to the drama of the movie and that could perhaps be sensed as a downside, but on the whole Baahubali 2 is a winner.
The art of storytelling is lost in the heads of most of the Indian film makers and so BAAHUBALI is an experiment in filmmaking to the Indian Film makers who always look west for inspiration. In a country where everything for centuries has been told through a story it is dumbfounding that our storywriters fumble so badly when they write a script. A country whose history boasts of the most magnificent and exhaustive stories that one can every imagine, Rajamouli and his team deserve the highest appreciation for taking not just Indian cinema but also the “Indian Story” and the way it is told across the globe. The impact of BAAHUBALI can never be erased nor forgotten in the annals of Indian Cinema.
Take a bow SSR and team.. Sadly the good things have to come to an end.. We shall miss BAAHUBALI !!
BAAHUBALI THE CONCLUSION – THE TRIUMPH !!!
3.5/5
B.U.Shreesha
