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‘Netflix, in all its divine wisdom, watched the Baahubali show and decided to scrap it’: Actor says streamer spent Rs 80 crore on it

Actor Bijay Anand opened up about his experience working on Netflix's expensive Baahubali prequel series, which was scrapped not once, but twice.

Prabhas starred in SS Rajamouli's two Baahubali films.

Actor Bijay Anand, best known for his role in the film Pyaar Toh Hona Hi Tha, and more recently, Shershaah, spoke about working for two years on Netflix’s cancelled Baahubali prequel series. Originally announced in 2018, the show was filmed twice, with different creative teams at the helm, and was deemed unfit for release on both occasions. Titled Baahubali: Before the Beginning, the show was supposed to star Mrunal Thakur, who was replaced by Wamiqa Gabbi.

In an interview with Siddharth Kannan, Bijay Anand said that he had a major role in the show, and claimed that Netflix invested Rs 80 crore on it over two years, before deciding to cancel it. He said that he initially turned the offer down, but later, was forced to turn down a chance to star alongside Prabhas in Saaho, because his dates had been blocked for two years.

Also read – Mrunal Thakur on playing Sivagami in Baahubali Before the Beginning: To match up to Ramya Krishnan was a challenge

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He said, “I thought it was a random Netflix show, so I turned it down. I wanted to do films. But Karan Kundra begged me to ask them to reconsider. I shot for two years in Hyderabad. And after two years, when Netflix watched the show, in all its divine wisdom, they decided to scrap the show. It was never released. But it was supposed to be the third installment of the franchise. It was a very big show. I think they spent Rs 80 crore on it. I’m repeating, I had the main role in it.”

Asked why the show was cancelled, he continued, “Netflix was not happy with what they had imagined the show to be, and what the show turned out to be. Netflix had some kind of reservations. During this time, I was approached for Saaho. They wanted me in London, Turkey, and another country. I would’ve had scenes with Prabhas. But I told them that I wasn’t available.”

In 2022, a Variety report shed more light on the show’s troubled production. It quoted a source as saying that Netflix is “reevaluating the project” after “struggling with it for some time.” This year, the streamer released a documentary honouring the life and career of Baahubali director, SS Rajamouli.

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