Baahubali 2 Reviews and Box Office Report - Page 7

April 28, 2017 | 48 Minutes Ago

FC Rating

Language: Telugu

Director: S.S Rajamouli

Cast: Prabhas, Anushka Shetty, Rana Daggubati, Ramya Krishnan, Sathyaraj

The war is over. Mahishmati awaits the coronation of its new king, Amarendra Baahubali (Prabhas). But while peace may be good for the country, it's bad news for the screenwriter. For a while Baahubali 2: The Conclusion plods along a predictable path. It's never boring. S.S. Rajamouli always finds something fanciful to tuck away into the narrative - like the old world's equivalent of the girl's photograph presented to the boy's family in an arranged-marriage scenario. But we're stuck with a rather generic romance/comedy mix. Amarendra falls for the sword-wielding princess Devasena (Anushka Shetty, who's very good), while a cowardly royal (Subbaraju) clowns around. Even Kattappa (Sathyaraj) is found hamming it up, as he awaits the "nation wants to know" page in the script.

Part II suffers from a unique disadvantage. In most masala movies, some waffling around with romance and comedy is par for the course in the first half, till things start accelerating around the interval point. But then, most masala movies aren't breathlessly anticipated sequels either.

The sequel is more straightforward - it's one long flashback for the most part - and at least some of my impatience during the early portions was from wanting to know the answer to the whys. And this is where we see the kind of filmmaker Rajamouli is. We tend to lump all our larger-than-life entertainers into the masala' category, but Rajamouli sees masala not just as a style but as a legitimate genre, derived from myth.

There's none of that leave your brains at the door, just go have fun' condescension, and there's no star-pandering. Rajamouli takes the genre seriously - he doesn't pander to the audience either. Another filmmaker would have surely broken the flashback, returned to the present day, and inserted a song sequence between Shivu (Prabhas) and Avanthika (Tamannaah). One might complain that the latter, after playing a significant part in the earlier film, is practically absent in this one - but she could not have been given more to do without breaking the integrity of the story.

Or take the big reveal about Kattappa. It left me a bit underwhelmed (in the sense that it's not slap-on-the-forehead exciting) - but it could not have been any other way, because it's completely true to who the man is. His core trait is loyalty. You cannot violate that just because you want to goose your audience. The stretch, therefore, is far more muted than I thought it would be. There's a great moment towards the end when Bhallala's father (Nasser) reminds Kattappa where his loyalties lie, and he freezes as though hypnotised. Looking back, the reveal makes complete sense.

Bit by painstaking bit, the grand story comes together, with memories from earlier myths. The conceit about gods disguising themselves as commoners to pursue love. The sibling rivalry from The Ten Commandments, along with the prince who wants the throne versus the prince who's wanted by the people. The banishment of the loyal-to-a-fault son from the Ramayana.

Rajamouli keeps tweaking these tropes. Amarendra may be Rama, but Devasena is no docile Sita. In an early scene, she uses his shoulders as a stepping stone - she coolly walks over him. Some of the film's juiciest scenes occur when she locks horns with Sivagami. Even off the battlefield, she isn't giving up without a fight.

Devasena also precipitates the film's most interesting psychological angle - Bhallala's lust for her, an emotion so potent it drives him to sniff the chains that bound her - though this isn't explored. The necessities of corralling a number of memorable characters into a compact screenplay result in a few gaps. I wished that, say, Sivagami's conflicted feelings about Amarendra had been fleshed out more, or that a villainous character had had a less obvious change of heart.

But it's with Bhallala that we truly feel the loss. When he is crowned king, he rubs his golden arm rest as though convincing himself it's actually happened. He senses, rightly, that he may wear the crown, but the throne isn't really his - at least, not according to the people. Rana Daggubati imbues the part with monstrous vitality. With all the decision-making powers in Sivagami's hands, he makes us feel the frustration of a Great Dane locked up in a Mumbai apartment. (In comparison, Prabhas comes across as genial and somewhat colourless.)

The film picks up with a huge war scene, and it never looks back. Rajamouli gives us one memorable moment after another - it's not just about grandeur in the sets and visuals, it's about grandeur of the imagination. It's the way Amarendra's commoner-robes are swallowed up by fire to reveal the armour beneath. It's about Amarendra and Devasena fighting in perfect sync, as though performing a mating dance. He teaches her how to shoot three arrows simultaneously from her bow. In most masala movies, the only thing the hero would teach the heroine is a lesson.

The echoes, a staple of the genre, are beautifully worked out. Marauders who drown their victims meet their end in a flood. If Part I showed us a baby held aloft amidst swirling waters, Part II shows us a baby held aloft in front of a fire. Even a festival scene from the beginning finds resonance in the end. I thought it was just a hero-introduction scene. It actually has to do with the heroine.

In other words, the story comes first for Rajamouli. He exposes the hero-worshipping masala movies we usually get for what they really are, the equivalent of dirty mags under a teenager's mattress, a quick-release mechanism for fans and little else. It's not that he doesn't care about wolf-whistles. Oh, he does. It's just that he doesn't want to get them by simply showing a star strutting in slow motion.

Everyone's curious to know the answer to this question: Why did Kattappa kill Baahubali? We can guesstimate and offer varied versions and theories, but looking back, I don't think the moviegoers had an inkling of how the master storyteller, S.S. Rajamouli, would culminate the first installment of the epic saga BAAHUBALI and how the terrific cliffhanger would eventually become the talking point.

I am also sure, Rajamouli must've not foreseen that the question -- Kattappa ne Baahubali ko kyun maara? -- would set off thesis, blogs and memes by movie aficionados across the globe. As a matter of fact, Baahubali, Bhallala Deva and Kattappa -- the iconic characters -- have captured the imagination of the movie-going audience like no film characters in the recent past.

Cut to the present... The wait is finally over! BAAHUBALI-2 hits the marquee today. The excitement is palpable. There's tremendous curiosity to witness, scrutinize, analyze and dissect the concluding installment of the path-breaking film. Resultantly, the expectations -- much like the canvas of the film -- are monumental.

Does BAAHUBALI-2 live up to those lofty expectations? Is the second part superior than the predecessor? With unprecedented hype surrounding the keenly-anticipated movie, the inescapable question is, will BAAHUBALI-2 set new benchmarks as a film and also at the BO?

Let me come to the point right away. BAAHUBALI-2 is a joyride that you wish never ends. I haven't enjoyed any entertainer as much as I enjoyed this one. As a movie buff, I have followed Rajamouli's body of work in Telugu films and admired his prowess as a storyteller. After BAAHUBALI-2, it's not just admiration, but respect and reverence as well. It wouldn't be erroneous to state that you haven't watched something like this on the Hindi screen ever. Also, as a cinematic experience, BAAHUBALI-2 takes gigantic strides, taking Indian cinema notches higher... over and above the standards set by several skilled raconteurs in the past.

It requires foresight, guts, vision and of course, the financial muscle to bring to life a lavish spectacle on the giant screen. And Rajamouli uses his strengths and opportunities to accomplish what a majority of storytellers can only talk about or dream of. Let me add, BAAHUBALI-2 is not merely a visually enchanting experience, but also a well-structured film that engulfs you into its world.

BAAHUBALI-2 takes you back to the kingdom of Mahishmati and brings to fore the reason that triggered off the feud between Baahubali [Prabhas] and Bhallala Deva [Rana Daggubati]. It's the fight to the finish in the concluding part. Will Shiva, the son of Baahubali, succeed against the tyrannical and treacherous Bhallala Deva? Will he regain authority of the kingdom that was snatched from his family by Bhallala Deva? Why did Bhallala Deva keep Devasena [Anushka Shetty] captive all these years? Finally, the pertinent question: Why did Kattappa [Sathyaraj] eliminate Baahubali?

Roll out the red carpet...
Blow the conch shells...
Beat the drums...
It's time to celebrate and I will tell you why!

On paper, the plot may seem inspired by history, mythology and comic books that we have read in our growing up years. But scratch the exterior and you realize, Rajamouli belts out an altogether new story that rests on the age-old adage, good triumphs eventually.

Rajamouli carries a huge burden on his shoulders: He knows that comparisons between the two parts of BAAHUBALI are inevitable. The concluding installment has to be bigger [canvas, VFX] and better [entertainment quotient] than the first part. It's a daunting challenge actually. And BAAHUBALI-2 delivers and how!

BAAHUBALI-2 is seeped in Indian ethos [story: K.V. Vijayendra Prasad], while the drama is garnished with several awe-inspiring sequences and jaw-dropping visuals. The screenwriting vacillates between romance, high-voltage drama, tension-filled confrontations and luminously filmed and brilliantly crafted action sequences, resulting in a movie-going experience that doesn't insult your intelligence. The content is desi, while the packaging has an international feel.

Okay, I am *not* a spoilsport to reveal the answer to the pertinent question: Why did Kattappa kill Baahubali? However, I wish to add, the entire track is simply brilliant!

There's no doubt that BAAHUBALI-2 is Rajamouli's most accomplished effort to date. His choice of the subject over the years has been diverse, but BAAHUBALI-2 is truly the big ticket entertainer that leaves you awestruck by its powerful storytelling and meticulous detailing. Any deterrent? The Hindi soundtrack could've been better, but that's a tiny hiccup. Also, the editing could've been sharper at places.

The breathtaking, larger-than-life frames [DoP: K.K. Senthil Kumar], grandiose and opulent production design [Sabu Cyril] and stunning visual effects impart sheen and sparkle. The action portions provide ample exhilarating moments and I must add, it commands repeat viewing.

BAAHUBALI-2 is powered by strong performances from the skilled cast. Having said that, the eyes are on the protagonist and antagonist all the while. You can sense the tension when the two gladiators clash and collide. Prabhas is electrifying and gives the two characters the authority that they deserve. The undeniable presence and winsome act adds weight to the magnum opus. Rana is menacing, ferocious and nails his part with precision. His physical transformation -- a prerequisite for the character -- makes him look powerful and unshakable.

Anushka Shetty invests purity, valor and strength into her character and emerges triumphant. Tamannaah gets limited scope this time. Ramya Krishnan looks aristocratic and shines as the queen mother Sivagami. Sathyaraj uses his piercing eyes to convey intensity and owns every sequence he's in. Nassar is ruthlessly manipulative and pitches in a tremendous act. Subbaraju, the actor enacting the part of Kumar, is unmistakably earnest.

On the whole, the BAAHUBALI franchise has successfully created its own world and some incredible characters that are sure to stay with you for a long, long time. Talking specifically of BAAHUBALI-2, it's a feast for moviegoers and has the trappings to make all generations its fan. The film is sure to vanquish previous BO records and rewrite the rules of the game. It shouldn't come as a surprise if it turns out to be the biggest grosser of Indian cinema. East, West, North, South... BAAHUBALI-2 is akin to a typhoon that will end the dry spell at the BO and go down as a textbook on how to make a solid entertainer. EPIC BLOCKBUSTER.