‘Baahubali’: A reality check!

by Pranita Jonnalagedda 12:40 0 comments Special Stories

The last time I stood in a long queue for a movie ticket was when one of my oldest friends Gayatri and I decided to watch ‘Kick’ at Odeon theatre on the first day – or was it the second? – I don’t quite remember. But that was something because two hours later we had those tickets in hand and watched a movie that was awesome!

Now. In 2015. What is being called by many as the “biggest motion picture” (I wouldn’t comment till I watch it. But loving the big canvas it has been made on) caught my fancy and I decided to experience the euphoria surrounding it myself. And so, I started very early and spent a tiresome 3 hours 45 minutes in acquiring the much hyped tickets.

But let me tell you that it wasn’t easy even though the ladies’ queue is not very long. There was pushing, pinching (no kidding!) and even foul mouthing going on. People spoke about principles when someone went past them in the queue. But interestingly, it was these “moral people” who rushed ahead the first chance they got forgetting all the rules they were preaching.

Here are my tickets!

Sadly, even though I reached very early I didn’t know that it wasn’t punctuality but wittiness that would get you the tickets. They came in royally just on time and managed to bag more tickets than me and that too a cool half an hour before I did! I was given only two tickets (poor sleep-deprived me was obviously frustrated).

But I did get the tickets for a show on the first day. No recommendations. Not in black. All my own hard work. As my sister and brother walk into the cinema hall with those tickets in hand on Friday evening, they would definitely have no idea how proud I must be feeling that I managed to send them in there!

Braving that crowd, I felt like a soldier because it was worse than a darshanam at Tirumala!

However, the reality check I was talking about is here. It don’t think I have ever shared a public video on Facebook. And in an instinctive moment, I just shot the scene at Prasadz and posted it online. Little did I know at that point what would follow.

By afternoon, I was receiving a lot of friend requests on Facebook and I began to wonder what the reason could be. After reaching office, I realised that 67 people had shared the video. Frankly, I was excited at first! Duh! My “piece of work” had interested so many people, why wouldn’t I be? It is the first time something like this has happened and this could probably be the last too.

As the excitement slowly faded away, I was surprised because the video had nothing in it. Really! Except a huge crowd of people standing in queue and screaming for some 32 seconds, there was nothing.

I know there has been so much of euphoria surrounding ‘Baahubali’ but the frequency at which people were sharing the video, it dawned on me the extent to which the frenzy has caught up.

To all those who are giving in to the excessive advertising, let me tell you that every organisation, company will ballyhoo its product as if it is the most outstanding of the world’s creations. So is the case with this film touted to be a “magnum opus”.

https://www.facebook.com/pranitaravi/videos/10154006359107501/

While I write this blog post, the video has been shared 380 times, has been viewed 20,790 times and liked some 310 times. Neither am I trying to brag about it nor do I feel it’s an achievement. I am just trying to reflect upon my earlier comment about the ballyhoo. Give in to the hype, but don’t sink in it. Enjoy the film because the fantasy genre isn’t something Telugu cinema offers every day.

Also, I am having my share of a celebrity moment thanks to people’s constant friend requests, pokes, follows!! :P The video has been used by some news channels and video portals too. And an article in one newspaper mentions about it as well.

That said and done, I am really looking forward to the film. But with mixed emotions.

Note: I am journalist. But I do not feel ashamed to give in to the hype because I am a human being first and more importantly an avid lover of cinema! Moreover, I am not a big fan of all of Rajamouli’s work because every time I watch some of his films, I wonder whether he feels embarrassed watching some of the scenes he shot.

I haven’t shared anything related to the movie in any of my social media platforms before and I decided to make an exception this week because a lot of things – mostly negative are happening around the film. I would probably write about that in my next blog post. Or not!