SS Rajamouli says Baahubali was originally envisioned as a single film; Prabhas shares franchise’s impact on his life

Baahubali became a topic yet again when Team Salaar, comprising actors Prabhas and Prithviraj Sukumaran and director Prashanth Neel, was interviewed by filmmaker SS Rajamouli.

By: Entertainment Desk

Kochi | December 20, 2023 03:18 PM IST

3 min read

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As part of Salaar's promotions, Prabhas and Prashanth Neel recently engaged in a chat with Baahubali director SS Rajamouli. (Images: SS Rajamouli, Hombale Films/Facebook)

Though six years have passed since the release of Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, the SS Rajamouli film remains the second-highest-grossing Indian film worldwide. The profound impact of Rajamouli’s franchise on visual art and its market persists, being recognised as the driving force behind numerous significant projects currently in development.

Meanwhile, the duology became a topic yet again at a recent event when Team Salaar, comprising actors Prabhas and Prithviraj Sukumaran and director Prashanth Neel, was interviewed by filmmaker SS Rajamouli for the production company Hombale Films. During the discussion, Prabhas, who portrayed the lead role in Baahubali, reflected on its impact on his life, while the other two also shared insights into how the duology served as a source of inspiration for them.

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“I was in Italy once, and suddenly a man came up, pointed to me, and said ‘Prabhas.’ He did not even speak English, yet he said ‘Prabhas’ and not ‘Baahubali.’ In my mind, I thought about Rajamouli. One film and that’s it,” Prabhas said, prompting Prithviraj to add, “Some films are like that. They become way more than just a film. Baahubali is like a cultural phenomenon now. It’s way bigger than just a piece of cinema, and it means a lot, especially to people inside the industry.”

When Salaar director Prashanth Neel asked Rajamouli if it was true that he initially envisioned Baahubali as one film, the filmmaker acknowledged it and said, “Initially, it was planned as one film. As the writing progressed, it kept expanding. In the beginning, we envisioned it as a three-hour movie. However, gradually, it became evident that it would be four to five hours long if we put all the pieces together.”

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“Then came the idea of splitting it into two parts, which seemed crazy at the time since no one had that kind of concept, unlike now when almost all big films have a part two. So, I approached the producers, pointing out that due to the escalating budget, the only way to proceed with the movie was by splitting it into two. Prabhas was super excited, but he also insisted on leaving the decision to the producers. Once the producers gave their approval, we moved forward,” he added.

Mentioning that the interval block of Baahubali 2: The Conclusion is one of his favourites of all time, Neel asked Rajamouli if he foresaw the question “Why did Kattappa kill Baahubali?” becoming as significant as it did. Asserting that he didn’t expect it to gain such immense popularity, Rajamouli said, “We knew it would be a shocking, beautiful moment, but I didn’t anticipate it becoming that big. In fact, we didn’t even coin that question, right? We noticed it on social media and adopted it later for promotional purposes.”

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