Telugu cinema is in the process of witnessing a possible paradigm-shifting event after the release of Baahubali.
With his monstrous canvases, and a 100% success rate, Rajamouli has ensured he hits the target bull’s-eye. From Student No.1 to Eega, not only has he grown as a filmmaker, his films have gotten larger and more imaginative.
Bahubali seems set to be a major chapter in his reign for a number of reasons. There have been many great movies, but those that seemed like a huge risk, managed to carve a niche for themselves in the footprints of time. Here is why we think the film might change the way our films are made, forever.
Extensive Pre and Post Production Work
It is now well known that Baahubali is the largest budget movie made in the history of the nation, at a staggering 220 crores.
If the current business life cycle of a Telugu film is anything to go by, a film is completed in a span of 6 months to 1 year. But a great movie takes years in pre and post production.
Bahubali was under production for over 2 years spending close to 360 days in shooting the talkie part. This might seem common in the west, but this is definitely the first time we are witnessing this in our industry. The studios cleverly kept the enthusiasm of the viewers intact, releasing teasers and snippets at regular intervals.
Everything Fell in Place – Not every time it happens!
Reports of the making of the film have been mighty interesting. According to reports, the crew cultivated a whole acre of land with maize for the film. During a shoot in Kurnool, over 30,000 fans flocked to the shooting spot. Rajamouli asked the fans to scream ‘Jai Bahubali’, and used it as the audio for the war scenes!
Piracy raised its head again, and portions of the film were leaked on social media. While this has been detrimental to films earlier, when people saw the leaked snippets, the scale and breadth of the film made them go ‘Woah! That’s awesome!’ If anything, the leaked clips only added to the anticipation!
First PAN-INDIA Release
Also, this is the first time that a Telugu film was released on a pan-India level. Released in four languages over 4000 screens worldwide. The producers plan to dub in over 15 languages in the pipeline, the film is the first Telugu film to reach a pan-Indian audience.
When this has happened earlier with Bengali films (Pather Panchali), or Marathi films (Raja Harishchandra), it made the entire nation sit up and take notice.
Telugu – First time a Movie in 2 Parts
To add to the novelty, the film is going to be releasing in two parts. Whenever this has happened earlier, it generated interest in the viewer’s minds. The second installment of Raktacharitra got better reviews from some critics. The second part of Gangs Of Wasseypur brought the epic to a full circle, permanently etching the film in audience’s minds. Baahubali has generated the right kind of buzz, in all the right circles, at the right time.
Even before its release, the film found a place in BBC’s documentary on 100 Years of Indian Cinema.
Finally, a Pride of Telugu Cinema
For an industry that has been churning out dreams and sagas for 75 years now, the Telugu film industry has come a long way. From producing the first film Savitri with a budget of 75,000 Rupees and Bahubali –The Conclusion due for next year, the Telugu film industry is witnessing its largest vision, its biggest dream, its most gigantic canvas. Its in process of writing a new chapter in our history.
Leaving us on the exact high we wanted, Rajamouli has been successful in keeping us longing for Bahubali-The Conclusion. The next part will be another chapter, but before that happens, let’s take a deep breath, swell our chests with pride, and hold our heads held high!
Thank you, Rajamouli! Thank you, Telugu Cinema!!
