The Magical Journey Called #Baahubali

I watched ‘Baahubali: The Beginning’ during the second weekend after its release. I would confess that my expectations were very high; given that the movie had garnered some very positive reviews and also because it was Indian film industry’s biggest production. It was supposed to destroy Bollywood’s over reliance on a mediocre genre of same old aged superstars dancing around with new actresses 20 years their juniors. I would also add that before this I have watched only a few movies produced in the Southern states of India and I was not impressed. This time though, Baahubali was to bring not a gush of wind but a ready storm.

As it turned out for me, I had not watched anything like Baahubali before (from Indian cinema). I love this genre of epic war movies and hence I judged Baahubali critically after comparing it with some of the greatest ones from Hollywood. And I can say with confidence that I loved Baahubali at least at par or even better than those Hollywood flicks.

As the screen opened in the theater after mandatory singing of National Anthem (customary in Maharashtra), the opening scene of an injured queen running away with an infant in her arms with a pack of enemies chasing her was mind-blowing. You put that intense scene in the beginning and you risk being judged with your own standards all through the length of the movie. But Baahubali turned out to be a magic – whole length of it was as intense and as enjoyable. Of course there were scenes where ‘hero’ chased ‘heroine’ on the mountains; and where both sang some romantic songs even if in imagination – but such songs mostly did not appear imposed or ‘out-of-place’. The war near the end of the movie was as epic as it could get.

If you have not watched Baahubali: The Beginning; yet, the best time is now. But there is a warning: the movie has plenty of violence. Though you must have learnt to manage it, for example by closing your eyes, so as not to get affected by it. If you don’t mind such scenes, go there with a feast waiting for you.

My Rating: 5 Starts out of 5.

- Rahul

[Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal]