Baahubali: An epic disappointment

by Pranita Jonnalagedda 09:43 29 comments Baahubali Review Movie Reviews

Rating: **1/2
Cast: Prabhas, Rana, Ramya Krishna, Anushka, Tamannaah, Nasser, Satya Raj
Director: Rajamouli
Music: Keeravani
Plus: Performances, technical values, makeup
Minus: No emotional connect, music, story

They say never count your chickens before they hatch. Well, for all those who were hailing ‘Baahubali – The Beginning’ as the next big thing for Indian cinema, the ‘Telugu pride’ and what not, let me tell you one thing straight – You are in for a big fat disappointment!

The hype and euphoria surrounding the film has been exponentially high and my heart goes out to all those who spent astronomical amounts to purchase the tickets (as high as Rs 7,000 in some parts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh) because this flick is not worth all that money.

I should tell you that folklore and fantasy are my favourite kind of movies. The fact that they transition you, for a brief period, into an ecstatic alternative world is so exciting. I went into the cinema hall hoping for something like that and also in the optimism that Rajamouli had created yet another marvel that would add on to his oh-so-famous success streak.

If creating spell-binding visuals is all that takes to make an effective film, the director would have nailed it. Because this film has no captivating storyline to glue you to your seats and you have to make do with the delightful visuals.  And it is pitiable that in an attempt to make something larger-than-life, director Rajamouli hasn’t managed to give this film the life that it actually needs. The soul goes for a toss in the process.

What’s challenging about films made in a series is the ability to build interest for the next. Being selective about what to give away and what to withhold without making the film feel like a set of loose ends requires a forethought and intensive groundwork. And here’s where the director fails. Neither at any point of the film will you feel excited about the sequel nor will you have the experience of having watched a complete film.

That is because the story doesn’t facilitate the viewer to emotionally connect at any moment. Nothing stirs your sensibilities and you are left looking forward to something exciting at least in the next scene. Glimpses of Anushka’s Devasena and Ramya Krishna’s Sivagami are probably the only exceptions to that.

And then the chemistry between Avanthika (Tamannaah) and Sivudu (Prabhas) seems synthetic. How and why they fell in love is a question we are still asking. And before you try to find your feet in, the duo are dancing it away in what seems like a set inspired by filmmaker K Raghavendra Rao’s films!

Rajamouli is synonymous with action-packed sequences which are exciting to the hilt. Yet again, he fails in the area. The action seen in the trailers felt more exciting than what was in the movie. Sloppy editing is another negative to this flick that moves forward at a slow pace.

When a film doesn’t engage, its music could most definitely be a saviour. But that’s not the case here because Keeravani’s tunes are unexciting and add no value to this film.

The characterisations are exciting, though. Sivagami is one of the strongest female characters to have graced prime space in mainstream cinema in the recent times. Rana as Bhallaladeva doesn’t have much to say but his myriad emotions (anger, jealousy, recklessness, pride and slyness) are for all to see. Satyaraj’s Kattappa would remind one of Bhairava in ‘Magadheera’ and he does a commendable job. Though Tamannaah is impressive, she loses out to a smudgy character sketch. Prabhas has definitely given his all to his roles Sivudu and Baahubali. But sadly, Rajamouli fails to highlight him the way he deserves.

The most exciting portrayals are definitely Prabahakar’s Kalakeya and Anushka. Paired with intense depth to their roles is makeup that gives them an edge over the rest. It would be interesting to see the progress of Devasena in the sequel.

Sabu Cyril’s art design is exceptional. So is cinematography by KK Senthil Kumar.

Having spent such a long time in the making of the film, one would at least expect a decent story to go with it. But so much effort and money seems to have been spent on giving your eyes a treat that in the process nobody seems to have cared about what your heart wants.

Rajamouli had the best of all ingredients – cast, crew, technical team and a story with potential – but he cooked up the recipe wrong.


Update: 'Baahubali - The Beginning' is a wonderful attempt, no doubt. I definitely agree on that. I have many people asking me why I fail to mention the fact in my review. It's just that having waited for so long, I am not really impressed by the huge money that seems to have gone waste. It is a decent, one time watch. But coming from the stable of Rajamouli, one expects a lot more. 

Also, I would like to add that, this film has set the stage for what could be a compelling sequel - 'Baahubali - The Conclusion'. Yes there are inconsistencies. But you could watch this film for Rajamouli and his vision.