Baahubali 2 was made on an estimated budget of ₹250 crore, making it the most expensive Indian film at the time of its release. Production began on 17 December 2015 at Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad. The cinematography was handled by K. K. Senthil Kumar, with editing by Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao. The production design was created by Sabu Cyril, while the action sequences were choreographed by King Solomon, Lee Whittaker, and Kecha Khamphakdee.[11] Visual effects were designed by Makuta VFX, with contributions from Adel Adili and Pete Draper. The music and background score were composed by M. M. Keeravani. The film was released on 28 April 2017 in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada and Malayalam, and later dubbed in Japanese, Russian and Chinese. It was available in conventional 2D and IMAX formats and was the first Telugu film to release in 4K High Definition format.[12]
Baahubali 2 was one of the most anticipated films of 2017, primarily due to the massive cliffhanger ending of its predecessor.[13][14] The film premiered on over 9,000 screens worldwide, with 6,500 screens in India, setting a record for the widest release of an Indian film.[15][16] Upon its release, Baahubali 2 like its predecessor, received widespread acclaim for S. S. Rajamouli's direction, the story, cinematography, themes, visual effects, music, action sequences, acting and emotional depth.[17] The film grossed over ₹1810.60 crore worldwide, briefly becoming the highest grossing Indian film of all time, surpassing PK (2014). It collected approximately ₹792 crore worldwide within the first six days and became the first Indian film to gross over ₹1,000 crore within just ten days. Within India, it set numerous records, becoming the highest-grossing film in Hindi, as well as in its original Telugu and Tamil languages. It remains the highest-grossing film in India to date, the highest grossing Telugu film, the highest grossing South Indian film and the second highest-grossing Indian film worldwide.[6] The film sold over 10 crore tickets during its box office run, marking the highest estimated admissions for any film in India since Sholay (1975).[18][19] It also holds a spot in the top 50 highest-grossing films worldwide, not including English-language productions.
The plot of the film connects with the predecessor. For more information on the predecessor's plot, see Baahubali: The Beginning.
Kattappa continues Amarendra Baahubali's tale. After his victory over the Kalakeyas, Baahubali is declared heir apparent with Bhallaladeva as his commander. Sivagami sends him on a tour of the kingdom in disguise with Kattappa, while she selects a suitable queen for him. During the journey, Baahubali witnesses Princess Devasena of Kuntala bravely repelling attackers, leading to an admiration for her. In disguise, he approaches her and is accepted into the royal palace of Kuntala as a guard.
Bhallaladeva views Devasena's portrait and Sivagami assures their marriage, sending an emissary to Kuntala. Devasena rejects the proposal, and Bijjaladeva tricks Sivagami into ordering Baahubali to capture Devasena. In Kuntala, Baahubali and Kattappa defend the palace from an attack alongside Devasena and her cousin Kumara Varma. Kattappa then reveals Baahubali as the future King of Mahishmati, and Baahubali proposes Devasena for marriage, who agrees. As the misunderstanding is brought to light, Sivagami orders Baahubali to choose between the crown and Devasena, who then chooses Devasena. As a result, Bhallaladeva is crowned King, with Baahubali as his commander, though Baahubali retains his fame with the people.
When Devasena is pregnant, Bhallaladeva removes Baahubali from his position and appoints Sethupathi, a court official. Devasena disagrees publicly with the decision and asks Baahubali to ascend the throne as a gift to her. Baahubali and Devasena are later banished, when Baahubali kills Sethupathi for offending Devasena.
Threatened by Baahubali's unwavering popularity, Bhallaladeva and Bijjaladeva conspire to turn Sivagami against him. Bijjaladeva convinces Kumara Varma that Devasena and her child's lives are in danger, who then unsuccessfully tries to assassinate Bhallaladeva. Sivagami, believing that the assassin was sent by Baahubali, secretly orders Kattappa to kill him. Kattappa lures Baahubali into a secluded place and assassinates him. Bhallaladeva exposes himself as the mastermind behind the plot, and Kattappa conveys this to Sivagami, to her regret. As Devasena arrives with her newborn son, Sivagami declares Baahubali's son Mahendra as the new King. Bhallaladeva however turns the guards against her and she is forced to flee with Mahendra. Bhallaladeva rules for the next twenty-five years as a tyrannical King, and imprisons Devasena who secretly builds a funeral pyre for him.
When Kattappa finishes the tale, Siva (Mahendra) decides to declare war on Bhallaladeva, assembling the tribals, the resistance and Mahishmati's slave army led by Kattappa. The army lays siege to Mahishmati, while Mahendra breaches the city walls with Kattappa. He engages Bhallaladeva in a brawl as the army continues the assault, and pins him on Devasena's funeral pyre with chains. Devasena burns Bhallaladeva alive, ending his reign. Mahendra is crowned the new King of Mahishmati with Avantika as his queen, and pledges to uphold peace and justice.
Amarendra Baahubali, the nephew of Sivagami Devi and Bijjaladeva and adoptive heir to the throne of Mahishmati (Telugu) / Magizhmathi (Tamil). As a prince, he is highly respected amongst the people for his compassion, nobility, and valor.
Mahendra Baahubali "Sivudu" (Telugu) / "Sivu" (Tamil) (son), Amarendra's son to Devasena who was born during his father's death and grows up to meet the rebel alliance that is combating Bhallaladeva.
Rana Daggubati as Bhallaladeva (Telugu) / Palvaalthevan (Tamil), Amarendra's biological cousin and adoptive older brother, who was extremely jealous of his popularity and plotted to erase his right to the throne since their childhood. Unlike Baahubali, he cares little for the people and is even shown enslaving his subjects. He designs his own assassination to get Kattappa to kill Baahubali.
Anushka Shetty as Devasena (Telugu) / Devasenai (Tamil), the younger sister of the king of Kuntala, who marries Baahubali. Her inclusion in the royal family and calling out Sivagami's and Palvaalthevan's / Bhallaladeva's law leads to civil conflict in the kingdom and their exile
Tamannaah Bhatia as Avantika, a young and powerful rebel warrior whom Mahendra falls in love with. She helps him take the kingdom back and they get married.[29]
Ramya Krishnan as Sivagami Devi, Bhallaladeva's / Palvaalthevan's mother and Bijaladeva's / Pingalathevan's wife, and a former subject of the kingdom who rises to become queen. She has one of the highest authorities in the kingdom and is a skilled combatant. She is nearly murdered by her own son as she tries to smuggle Mahendra out of the kingdom.
Nassar as Bijjaladeva (Telugu) / Pingalathevan (Tamil), the deranged father of Bhallaladeva / Palvaalthevan and husband of Sivagami, he has a deformity in his left hand and just like his son he believes in exploiting his subjects and being oppressive. Because of this he was never formally granted control of the kingdom. His brother Vikramadeva is the biological father of Amarendra Baahubali.
Sathyaraj as Karikala Kattappa Nadar, a sibling figure to Sivagami and is called an uncle to Bhallaladeva and Amarendra. He's a member of a lineage of incredibly skilled warriors who serve the royal family like servants, but he also authorizes the kingdom's military.
Subbaraju as Kumara Varma, a relative of Devasena who is competitive against her and is a cowardly warrior, but is motivated by Amarendra to stand up to the Pindari invasion on Kuntala. He is killed by Bijaladeva / Pingalathevan in an elaborate trap to frame Baahubali for treason.
Others
Rakesh Varre as Sethupathi,[30] a friend of Bhallaladeva who takes the role of army commander after Baahubali is resigned, he is beheaded by Baahubali when he finds out that Sethupati touched his wife vulgarly.
Meka Ramakrishna as Jaya Varma, Devasena's brother and the former king of Kuntala. He's killed by Bhallaladeva during the final battle.
Charandeep as the Kalakeya King's brother,[31] who takes role of the chief of the Kalakeyas. He is killed by Baahubali.
Prudhvi Raj as the Prime Minister of Kunthala kingdom
Shatru as the leader of the Pindari tribe,[33] which is a tribe of plunderers and raiders. They lay siege to Kuntala and Amarendra kills the leader and drowns the rest of the army.
Baahubali: The Conclusion was filmed in both the Telugu and Tamil languages simultaneously.[36] Although shot in Tamil, few scenes were dubbed from the Telugu version.[37][38] The film series is touted to be the most expensive in India as of this date. Rajamouli's father V. Vijayendra Prasad who wrote stories for most of his films once again gave the story for Baahubali. The series was produced by Shobu Yarlagadda and Prasad Devineni.[39] R. C. Kamalakannan was chosen as visual effects supervisor and Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao was the editor. PM Satheesh was the sound designer and stunt sequences were coordinated by King Solomon, Lee Whittaker, and Kecha Khamphakdee. The film's costume designers are Rama Rajamouli and Prasanthi Tripuraneni. The line producer was M.M Srivalli. The film shooting started on 17 December 2015[40] at Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad with Prabhas and Ramya Krishnan. The film featuring Telugu actors Prabhas and Rana Daggubati in the lead roles became the biggest ever movie in India in terms of scale of production and making as of 2017[update].[41] The film is also known by the abbreviation BB2.[42][43][44]Sabu Cyril was the production designer[45] and Peter Hein was the choreographer.[46] R. C. Kamalakannan was the VFX supervisor[47] and was assisted by Pete Draper and Adel Adili, co-founder of Makuta VFX.[48] In order for the lip sync to not be noticeable when dubbed in various languages, the film featured less dialogues and more action scenes.[49]
Casting
Prabhas was cast as main lead of the film. Anushka Shetty was cast as the lead actress of the film as she was also a part of Mirchi (2013).[50] She coincidentally became the first heroine Rajamouli repeated in his films and thus made her schedules full for 2013 and 2014.[51]Rana Daggubati was cast as the antagonist of the film and coincidentally he was also a part of Rudhramadevi.[citation needed]
In April 2013, Adivi Sesh was cast for a crucial role in the film as Rajamouli was impressed by his work in Panjaa (2011).[52] Actor Nassar was selected to play a supporting role.[citation needed]Charandeep was selected to play the brother of the film's chief villain.[53] On 20 December 2013 a press release stated that Tamannaah Bhatia will be starring in the film playing the role of "Avanthika".[citation needed] Meka Ramakrishna was picked for the head of the Kuntala guerillas.
Characters and looks
Rana Daggubati was said to be playing the role of Prabhas' brother and he too underwent a lot of physical transformation satisfying the role he was assigned to play in the film.[citation needed] He also underwent training in Martial arts under the supervision of a Vietnamese trainer, Tuan.[citation needed] Sathyaraj has a tonsured look for his role in the film.[54] In the end of October 2013, Rana appeared at a fashion show with a beefed up body which, according to him, was a part of his look in the film.[55] In mid-May 2014, reports emerged that Anushka would play a pregnant woman for a few sequences in the second part of the film.[56]
At the same time, Prabhas posted on his Facebook page that he underwent minor shoulder surgery and would join the film's sets in a span of a month.[57] On 1 June 2014, Prabhas and Rana's trainer Lakshman Reddy, said that Prabhas started his training 8 months before the commencement of shooting and after two years, both of them weighed nearly 100 kilos each. He also added that Prabhas has two attires with a heavy, bulky body for Baahubali's role and a lean physique for the second role.[58] For his look, Prabhas met WWE superstars like The Undertaker in February 2014 and interacted with them about their daily regimen and workouts.[59]
Prabhas had equipment costing ₹1.5 crore shipped to his home, where he built a personal gym. His breakfast included 40 half-boiled egg whites blended and added with protein powder.[59] In mid-June 2014, regarding her role in the film, Bhatia said that she would be playing the role of a warrior princess named Avanthika and her appearance in the film is completely different when compared to her past films.[60][61] Before joining the film's shoot, Bhatia did costume trials for the film which she confirmed in her micro-blogging page stating "I am very excited to get on to the set of Baahubali. I did some dress trials today and my look in this movie will be totally new. I have never been seen in such sort of a look till now. It will be a new role for me".[62] Rajamouli called Bhatia and her characterisation as a "value addition" to the movie.[63] She stated that she plays Avanthika, and had a special training and diet regime.[64] The film introduced a new language called Kiliki.[65]
Piracy
On 22 November 2016, a two-minute war sequence from the film was leaked and posted on Facebook and Twitter. The following day, the police arrested a video editor for stealing and uploading the scenes. The Deccan Chronicle, noticing the lack of punishment, felt the leak was a publicity stunt. Following this, a nine-minute war sequence supposedly from the climax was leaked. The video lacked VFX.[66][67]
Themes and influences
Manuscript illustration of the Battle of Kurukshetra
Director S. S. Rajamouli revealed that Baahubali is inspired by the epic Mahabharata.[68]V. Vijayendra Prasad, the screenwriter and Rajamouli's father who wrote stories for most of Rajamouli's films, once again penned the story for Baahubali. Vijayendra Prasad revealed that Sivagami has shades of both Kunti and Kaikeyi while Devasena is a warrior like Sita. He further added that he sees Baahubali as the story of Sivagami and Devasena.[69] He was also inspired by tales of Chandamama and Amar Chitra Katha comics.[70][71][72]
In March 2017, Rajamouli said in an interview that "Why Kattappa killed Baahubali" is the theme of the film.[73] The tagline "The boy he raised, the man he killed" was billed in a poster featuring Kattappa.[74] Rajamouli had stated that the Mahabharata was a source of inspiration for the film.[75] According to K. K. Senthil Kumar, the colour palette used was based on the "mood and feel".[76] He contrasts different tones used within the film: warm colours for Mahishmati, cool colours for Kuntala, desaturated colours for the frame in which Baahubali is expelled.[76]
Kanniks Kannikeswaran writes the characters resemble those "from Chandamama issues from the 1960s and 70s" and feels that the "plots and subplots that bear distinct similarities to themes from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata".[citation needed] He calls Amarendra the "perfect Rama," while calling Bhallaladeva "Duryodana incarnate, an atatayi". Bijjaladeva is compared to Shakuni, while the death of Bhadrudu is compared to Jayadratha's death in the Mahabharata.[citation needed] Kannikeswaran also feels that the film has visual parallels with The Lion King, while also noting the similarities with Mulan.[citation needed] Writing about the similarities with the latter, he states, "Mulan pins a villain to a roof where he is reduced to ashes right in the midst of a firework display. The evil Bhallala is pinned with a sword to the 'chita' pyre that consumes him in the final frames of the film". He calls the film "Shivocentric," noting the appearance of a Shivatandava stotra and that Shiva is the tutelage deity of Mahishmati. The main character is healed by Shiva in the end of the film, while noting Ganesha also makes an appearance in a fire ritual.[citation needed]
According to Chandan Gowda, a professor at the Azim Premji University, "the social order [in the film] appears to be a varna order: Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas are named with the Shudras staying an unnamed presence," also noting that "Muslims are also part of the Mahishmati kingdom".[75]Kathi Mahesh felt that the modules and imagery were borrowed from Indian epics like Mahabharata and called Prabhas' character "a mix of the Pandavas put together,"[77] while Gowda writes that the influence is "at best rough," stating that the film cannot match the "moral depth or complexity" of Mahabharata.[75] He further contrasts the themes of both, writing, "the heroes have failings and the villains redeeming virtues, making us morally ambivalent towards them both, Baahubali goes for black and white: its heroes are wholly good and the villains pure evil".[75] According to Gowda, the palace scenes resemble those in Ben Hur (1959) and Troy (2004) while the fight sequences are similar to the Chinese films Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000).[75]
Critics noticed similarities between Baahubali 2 and The Lion King, an adaptation of William Shakespeare's Hamlet (1599–1602).[78] This similarity was also felt by fans, who created memes of the comparison.[79]The Indian Express makes a comparison, stating that both films are a tale of two brothers, where inhabitants suffer under a cruel ruler, who is the brother of a kind ruler. The son of the kind ruler grows in remote lands, unaware of his lineage, guided to his home by his love interest. The spouse of the kind ruler is treated badly by the cruel ruler. The son also has an advisor, who helps him realize his identity.[80] They further note that the kind ruler and his son look similar in both films.[80]Firstpost notes that both Bhallaladeva and Scar share a scar on one eye, and both Simba and Mahendra are introduced similarly into the world.[81]
Rajamouli's cousin M. M. Keeravani composed the music and background for the film. The Conclusion's Telugu soundtrack was released on 26 March 2017 at the pre-release event of the film at YMCA grounds.[82] The album of the film's Hindi version was released on 5 April 2017,[83][84] while the Tamil version was released on 9 April.[85][86] The Malayalam version was released on 24 April 2017.[87]
Baahubali The Beginning is first non-English film to be screened at Royal Albert Hall in London, receives a standing ovation. The show, saw the score performed live while the epic action movie unfolded on the big screen, a special Q&A took place on stage. Baahubali franchise director S.S Rajamouli and composer M.M. Keeravani as well as stars Prabhas, Anushka Shetty and Rana Daggubati, sat down with Rachel Dwyer for a chat. [88][89]
Release
Initially scheduled for release in Summer 2016, the release date of Baahubali 2 was postponed to November 2016 due to preparations for the international release of The Beginning in various locations.[90] This was further pushed to 28 April 2017.[91] At first, the joint budget of both The Beginning and The Conclusion was speculated to be around ₹2.5 Arab.[92] This was later confirmed by Rajamouli in 2015.[93] However, the joint budget of the series was increased to ₹4.3 Arab, of which ₹1.8 Arab was the budget for The Beginning and ₹2.5 Arab for The Conclusion.[94][4] The climax of The Conclusion alone cost ₹30 crore, almost double the amount of The Beginning's climax.[95]
An initial limited release of Baahubali 2 took place in most Gulf countries, including the UAE, on 27 April 2017.[96] In India, the film was released on 28 April.[97] The film was screened at the British Film Institute.[98] It was also premiered at the 39th Moscow International Film Festival.[99][100] The film was also showcased at the 49th International Film Festival of India in the "Indian Panorama" section.[101] According to Umair Sandhu, a member of the UAE censor board, Baahubali 2 received a standing ovation from the board during its review.[102] On 22 April, the Telugu version of Baahubali 2 was reviewed by the Central Board of Film Certification and given an U/A rating with minor cuts.[103] The Japanese Censor Board gave a rating of G with no cuts.[104] The Central Board of Film Censors, Pakistan, cleared the film with an "all clear" status and zero cuts.[105] In Singapore, the film received an 'A' (adult) certificate, which an Indiatimes report attributes to the portrayal of violent scenes.[106]
Baahubali 2 was released across more than 9,000 plus screens worldwide- 6500 screens in India alone, breaking the record for the widest Indian film release. It released in conventional 2D as well as in IMAX format.[107][108][109][110] This made Baahubali 2 the third Indian film to release in IMAX, following Dhoom 3 and Bang Bang!.[111] It was released in Telugu and Tamil along with dubbed versions in Hindi and Malayalam.[112][a] In Kerala, the film was released across 395 screens.[115] The film was released in 1,100 screens in the United States, and 150 screens in Canada.[116] The Hindi version was released in New Zealand, Australia and Fiji Islands, while the Tamil version was released in Malaysia.[116] In Pakistan, the Hindi version was released in over 100 screens.[105] The first Telugu film to be released in 4K high definition format, close to 200 screens were upgraded to 4K projectors before the release date of the film.[117] In Japan, the film was later dubbed into Japanese and was released on 29 December.[118] Despite the various measures taken, pirated versions of Baahubali 2 were available on the Internet within hours of the film's release.[119] The film was dubbed in Russian and released in Russia and neighboring territories on 11 January 2018.[120] It was censored for release in China in March 2018 and was released in Chinese on 4 May 2018.[121][122]
Worldwide distribution on the Qube Wire platform
Distributor
Languages
Territories
Great India Films
All
USA and Canada
Sarigama Cinema
All
Europe and Ireland
MSK Film Production
Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam
Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka
A. A. Films Pvt. Ltd.
Hindi
Entire World except USA, Canada
Hasini Entertainment
Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam
UK, Ireland
Phars Films Co LLC
Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam
Middle East
Southern Star International
Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam
Australia and New Zealand
Gopi Krishna Movies
Hindi
Nepal
Marketing
A 25-member marketing team at Arka was responsible for marketing Baahubali 2.[123] On 30 September 2016, the logo of Baahubali 2 was revealed along with the tagline 'Why Kattappa Killed Baahubali'.[124] On 22 October 2016, the first look poster of the film was released on the birthday of Prabhas.[125] The poster, according to CNN-News18, features Prabhas flexing his muscles, holding a two edged sword and a chain in either of his hands,[125] while The Hindu notices the presence of Amarendra Baahubali in the background.[126] Rana Daggubati's first look as Bhallaladeva was further revealed on his birthday.[127] According to The Indian Express, the poster features Rana Daggubati as Bhallaladeva with "a vicious glare, salt-and-pepper hair with a bun, cladding a bullish armour and holding a humongous retractable mace".[127] A virtual reality teaser was also released.[128] On 26 January 2017, the first look poster of Anushka Shetty as Devasena was released.[129] The trailer of the film was released on 17 March 2017.[130]
Baahubali 2 was also promoted extensively on social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.[123][131] Upon being asked about the film's marketing, Yarlagadda said, "The idea was to engage with different demographics, who are interested in different things. If you are into technology, then Baahubali VR becomes a driving factor for you to watch the film; if you are into graphic novels and gaming, we had plans to address those needs too".[123] A graphic novel titled Baahubali – The Battle of the Bold was released digitally on 28 February 2017.[132] Rajamouli approached Anand Neelakantan to write a series subtitled Before the Beginning.[133] The first novel in the series, titled The Rise of Sivagami, was released on 7 March 2017.[134][135] A clothing line based on the film was revealed on 7 April at a fashion show, with the cast including Rana Daggubati and Tamanaah attending it.[136] The makers further collaborated with Moonfrog Labs to create an online multiplayer game titled Baahubali – The Game, which published on 28 April 2017.[137] In a review for the game, Srivathsan Nadadhur of The Hindu writes, "while it seems a little familiar, it is good fun as long as it lasts".[138] The cast arrived in Dubai to inaugurate the film's release in a promotional event on 25 April 2017.[139]
Rights and sales
Cinestaan AA Distributors distributed the Hindi version in US, Britain, Australia and New Zealand.[140] Srinivasan of Says S Pictures distributed the film in North Arcot and South Arcot in Tamil Nadu.[141] The Hindi version was distributed in North India by Anil Thadani's AA Films and presented by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions.[142] In Malaysia, the film was distributed by MSK Film Production and Antenna Entertainments.[143] Amjad Rasheed distributed the film in Pakistan.[144] Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam broadcasting rights were brought by Star India for ₹28 crore.[145] Sony acquired the satellite rights for the Hindi version for ₹50 crore.[145]Baahubali 2 set a record collection of ₹5 Arab before the release of the film through satellite and theatrical rights.[146][147] The Telugu version of the film was insured against financial loss by Future Generali for ₹2 crore.[148][149]Netflix brought the rights of Baahubali 2 for ₹25.5 crore.[150]
About 10 lakh tickets were sold within 24 hours of the advance booking.[151] Tickets were sold out until 2 May.[152] Later, tickets for the first week were sold out.[153] The sale rate was the highest ever in India, beating the record held by Dangal.[154] Booking sites of multiplex players crashed down due to high traffic.[155] In UAE, the film sold more one lakh tickets before release, the highest ever for an Indian film, breaking the record held by Fast and Furious bookings.[155] BookMyShow and PayTM offered discounts on Baahubali 2 tickets.[95] At the end of its theatrical run in India Baahubali 2 had sold an estimated 10 crore tickets, the highest estimated footfall for any film in India in decades;[156]Box Office India notes that the estimated footfalls of Mother India (1957), Mughal-e-Azam (1960) and Sholay (1975) could be more than that of Baahubali 2.[157]
Complications
The morning shows of Baahubali 2 in several cinema theatres across Tamil Nadu were halted.[158] Arka Media Works had to intervene to resolve the financial issues and had to bear the full cost for the smooth release of the film.[159] Scenes from Baahubali 2 were released online 2 days before the film's release.[160] Activists in Karnataka threatened to stall the film's release in their state due to a statement made by Sathyaraj concerning the Cauvery river, unless the actor apologized. Sathyaraj later apologized for hurting the sentiments of the activists.[161] The entertainment tax to be paid on each ticket was not paid, due to the sale of unaccounted tickets.[162]
Rachit Gupta from Filmfare gave the film a rating of 4.5/5, stating, "SS Rajamouli's much-awaited sequel is the kind of movie Indian cinema should make regularly. Its the kind of sweeping magnum opus that Indian mythos and culture deserve. Its the biggest film we have ever made and barring a few minor glitches in CGI, this film is possibly the greatest spectacle you'll see on a big screen, in your life".[164] Sangeetha Devi Dundoo from The Hindu stated, "For the most part, The Conclusion doesn't let us take our eyes off the screen. Its designed to be a cinematic celebration, one that deserves to be watched on the largest screen possible".[165] Anupama Subramanian of the Deccan Chronicle gave the film a 3.5/5, praising the acting of the stars while complaining about "the lack of a solid plot' and called the ending "predictable".[166]
Vishnuprasad Pillai of Asianet News gave a negative review, writing that the film "offers nothing new... The writing from KV Vijayendra Prasad fails inspire or to do justice to an epic of such scale," adding that "the dialogues at times are downright corny and plot developments cringe-worthy".[167] Dipanjan Sinha of Hindustan Times gave the film a rating of 3/5 stars, praising the film's cinematography and special effects, but found faults with some of the female characters. Sinha stated, "Devasena ... starts off as an ace warrior only to be tamed into someone who has to be protected".[168] Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express rated the film 2/5 stars, noting problems with pacing and sound, writing, "The background music is relentless, and the pitch at which the declamatory dialogues are delivered is deafening: there were times I felt like closing my ears".[169] Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama rates the film 4.5 out of 5 and praises the performance of the cast, writing, "Its a feast for moviegoers and has the trappings to make all generations its fan".[170]
Meena Iyer from The Times of India rated it 4/5, writing: "Just savor it. It is a visual extravaganza that India must feast on ... Prabhas is terrific as father and son. Of course, it is CGI and VFX that grab you in your seat".[171] Hemanth Kumar from Firstpost called it "Rajamouli's epic drama" and rated it 4/5.[172] Sukanya Verma from Rediff rated the film 3.5/5, writing the film, "continues its tradition of grandiloquence and magnitude... high drama, more than spectacle, is what lends its riveting tale of revenge and glory all its wallop and wizardry".[173] She also praised the film's cast and director stating, "Equipped with a cast that's not only in tune with Rajamouli's vision but knows exactly where to hold back and when to give their all adds to Baahubali's might".[173] Sudhir Suryawanshi of The New Indian Express wrote that "Baahubali 2: The Conclusion is deserving of high praise if only for the visceral experience it is. By no means though is it a perfect film. Some of the lip-syncing in the Tamil version is awful".[37]
International critics
It was further featured in Rotten Tomatoes' list of Best Off the Radar Films of 2017, in which Tim Ryan writes, "Baahubali 2: The Conclusion plays like a shotgun wedding between Ben Hur and Kung Fu Hustle, seasoned with bits of Shakespeare, Kurosawa, and Buster Keaton," opining, "it's a blockbuster that's both gigantic and lighter than air".[174] Mike McCahill of The Guardian gave a 4/5 rating and called it "a jaw-dropping blockbuster that combines nimble action with genuine heart". He also stated, "This production's triumph is the room it's granted Rajamouli to head into the fields and dream up endlessly expressive ways to frame bodies in motion. Of the many sequences here primed to cut through jadedness, perhaps the most wondrous is that which finds Baahu guiding Deva mid-battle to shoot three arrows simultaneously – a set piece that speaks both to a love of action, and love in action. The budget's big, the muscle considerable, but they're nothing compared with Baahubali's heart".[175]
Manjusha Radhakrishnan of Gulf News rates the film 3.5 out of 5 and writes, "This is a sweeping visual spectacle filled with epic battle scenes, clashes between warring troops from Indian mythology and elephants on a rampage," but further added, "There were times in the second half where you felt the computer-generated graphics took over the story. But all this is new and exotic for Indian cinema".[176] Shilpa Jamkhandikar of Reuters writes, "It may not up the ante from the last film, but it doesn't let up on the pace either. For an Indian film, that is no mean feat".[177] J Hurtado of Screen Anarchy writes, "It's a bit daunting because it does begin in media res immediately following the complex actions of the first film, but astute viewers will put together the pieces soon enough".[178]
Simon Abrams of RogerEbert.com gave the film a 4/4 rating and writes the film "is everything I want but rarely get from superhero and big-budget fantasy movie" adding "the fight scenes... are so creative that they make even the most frequently abused creative shortcuts seem novel, everything from computer-generated imagery (CGI) to speed-ramping... You care what happens to the cast as they, aided by wires, hurl volleys of arrows at disposable minions and CGI animals".[179] Anita Iyer from Khaleej Times rates the film 3.5 out of 5 and writes, "What stands out in the film is the powerful star cast. Enough has been said already about the acting prowess of Prabhas but he has an equally supportive cast to hold the film. Ramya Krishna as Sivagami, is known for her impressive acting talent and proves her mettle here. Another veteran, Sathyaraj as Katappa excels and you develop a camaraderie with him. Rana Daggubati is aptly spiteful in his portrayal of the villain... Nassar, as his father, is busy spewing venom but his role could have been meatier".[180]
Box office
Baahubali 2 grossed ₹2.17 Arab on its opening day and ₹5.10 Arab in its opening weekend worldwide.[181] It became the highest-grossing Indian film worldwide with a gross of ₹7.92 Arab in six days.[182][183] The film was the first Indian film to enter the 1000 Crore Club, grossing over ₹10 Arab in all languages in India,[184][185][186] and it further grossed over ₹12.5 Arab in all languages by the end of two weeks.[187] The film grossed over ₹1,429.83 crore in India and over ₹380.77 crore overseas, for a total estimated worldwide gross of ₹1,810.60 during its theatrical run.[b]
Baahubali 2 grossed ₹1.52 Arab in India on its first day of release. Within three days, the film grossed ₹3.82 Arab, setting the record for the highest opening weekend gross in India.[181] In five days, it became the highest-grossing film in India with a total gross of ₹5.58 Arab.[197] The film crossed the ₹10 Arab net mark in India across all languages within 30 days.[198]
Regionally, Baahubali 2 grossed ₹3.279 Arab in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, ₹1.526 Arab in Tamil Nadu, ₹1.29 Arab in Karnataka, and ₹750 crore in Kerala. In the rest of India, it grossed approximately ₹7.32 Arab, bringing the film's total gross in India to ₹14.17 Arab, the highest for any film in the country.[199] The Hindi dubbed version of the film grossed over ₹511 crore, the highest collection for any film in the Hindi language until it was broken by Pushpa 2: The Rule in 2024.[200]
International
Baahubali 2 grossed ₹65 crore overseas on the first day of its release, the highest opening for an Indian film, surpassing Kabali. In 3 days, the film collected ₹1.28 Arab from the overseas market, with ₹67.05 crore coming from the US alone, setting a record for 3-day collections.[181] The film grossed $79.35 million during the opening weekend, ranking third on the global box office list, and earned $10.43 million in the United States alone, the highest-ever opening for an Indian film in the US.[201][202] On 3 May 2017, Baahubali 2 became the highest-grossing Indian film at the US box office with $12.5 million, surpassing Dangal's gross of $12.3 million.[203][204] The film had grossed US$20 million in the United States.[191]
Baahubali 2 became the first Indian film to exceed $11.1 million in takings in the Middle East-GCC-Gulf region, surpassing Bajrangi Bhaijaan.[193] In China, it made a number-three debut at the box office (behind domestic Chinese filmsUs and Them and A or B) with an opening-day gross of $2.41 million,[205] surpassing the lifetime gross of Baahubali: The Beginning ($1.8 million).[206] The film grossed $7.67 million in its opening weekend.[207] In Japan, the film grossed $1.3 million by April 2018, ranking as the third highest-grossing Indian film in the country, behind Rajinikanth's Tamil film Muthu (1995) and Aamir Khan's Hindi film 3 Idiots (2009).[208] By May 2018, the film had earned ¥150 million, and its total gross reached ¥250 million by September 2018.[209][195]
The duology of Baahubali franchise started a new film movement, pan-Indian film, that is, rather than remaking the same film in various languages, they are dubbing the same film in various languages.[27] Srivatsan S of The Hindu wrote that Telugu cinema has excelled in marketing Pan-Indian films. It primarily employed two strategies – promoting the film outside their home territory and collaborating with other regional stars for more visibility.[219]
The film received appreciation from members of the Indian film industry. Rajinikanth praised Baahubali 2, calling Rajamouli "god's own child" and equating the film to "Indian cinema's pride". Chiranjeevi praised the film and stated that Rajamouli "deserved all accolades" for making the film.[220]Mahesh Bhatt called it "a game changer" that "redefines everything you thought you knew and understood about Indian movies".[221] His daughter Alia Bhatt called the film a "rock buster".[222]Mahesh Babu stated the film "exceed expectations," while Shekhar Kapur congratulated Rajamouli.[223]Shah Rukh Khan, despite not watching the film, praised it and said, "But if you want to create that big cinema and that big dream to sell to a big number of people, you have to have guts to take that storytelling on and say it in the biggest, nicest, boldest way possible. Baahubali stands for that".[224]
Prasad had confirmed that a third cinematic part will not occur in the franchise.[225] However, Yarlagadda said, "We have an animated series that is premiering on Amazon. Then we have graphic and regular novels that will tell us the backstory of the Mahishmati kingdom. We want to make the story of Sivagami – how she became a power centre into a TV series in a grand way. There is also a virtual reality experience. We have many more plans where fans can engage in the world of Bahubali".[226] This was also confirmed by Prabhas, who said, "We are done with the story of Baahubali, there cannot be a third part. But the world and the legacy of Baahubali will live on through a comic series and a TV series".[225]
Baahubali 2 was the most talked about film in India on Twitter in 2017.[227] On Google, the film was the most searched topic and most searched film in India for the year 2017.[228] Worldwide, it was the 7th most searched film in 2017.[229] The song "Saahore Baahubali" topped the list of most searched for songs in India.[230] Owing to the success of the film, the set of the film at the Ramoji Film City was opened for tourism.[231] According to Firstpost, the only phenomenon comparable to the "Baahubali mania" was Rajinikanth fandom.[232] The Wikipedia article on Baahubali 2 became the most read film article on the encyclopedia in 2017.[233] The Baahubali 2 trailer was the second most viewed in the year of 2017 on YouTube with more than 29 million views behind the Avengers: Infinity War trailer.[234]
Notes
↑ Despite being made in Tamil, the Tamil version was considered as a dubbed film in trade circuits.[113][114]
1 2 Calculated using an approximate average exchange rate of 65.11 INR per USD in 2017[192]
↑ Calculated using an approximate average exchange rate of 67.06 INR per USD in 2018[194]
↑ Calculated using an approximate average exchange rate of .6 INR per JPY in 2018
↑ Calculated using an approximate average exchange rate of 2.2 INR per RUB in 2018
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↑ Srinivasan, Sudhir (20 May 2018). "Bilingual films: The big, bilingual scam". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 14 October 2020. Retrieved 23 May 2021. Many, many films, including Baahubali [...] have been following a worrying formula: Cast an actor each from across regions to appeal to the respective audiences, get them speaking that language, but by and large, shoot the film with the characters speaking one dominant language. In the case of Baahubali of course, this was Telugu
↑ Pillai, Sreedhar (21 January 2017). "Mind your language". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 3 September 2024. Though producers claim it is a bi-lingual in Telugu and Tamil, the trade is treating it as an OLF [Other Language Film].
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