Sanket’s Review: Bahubali

Cast: Prabhas, Tamannah, Rana Daggubati
Director: Rajamouli
Length: 159 minutes

Lets get this straight- Bahubali is not just any other Indian movie. Touted as Visual spectacle, which it is indeed, it’s a film that oscillates from high to low and the low to high. It’s a film that perhaps defies gravity but immerses a wave of imagination throughout its runtime and which is why the film entirely belongs to this visionary film-maker Rajamouli who creates a world and not just characters.

But Bahubali has lot of problems in its screenplay. The film takes just about too much of time to build its tempo- it takes just about too many scenes to tell the same thing. Also the romantic angle almost cringes you especially when too much of imaginative ideas are put like assembly line and giving the story a complete backseat. I applaud the fact that there was vision and effort in the narration, but if you hold on to such moments forever, it feels elaborate manifestation of talent. It felt like Rajamouli had this last chance to put just about every CGI visual effects treatment and hence he made the film in certain defiance. Yes, the film can be that arrogant in first hour. Although the entire episode before interval gave a good signal what can happen in second half.

But the film takes a complete flight in second hour, like a rebound shot on a carom board. You feel like everything has fallen in place, save for a ridiculously shot item number popping out of nowhere. The narration speeds up; the action finally takes the screen like fish to water and the attention is stapled. The war scene that comprises almost 20% of the film is what makes Bahubali more than just an ordinary film. It gives the film a high and the screenplay written is terrific for the climax. Also the ending of the film leaves you with a surprise and thought for the second part.

The film’s grandeur cant be lauded enough. The film looks like a grand event and it’s shot brilliantly. The film opens with the background showing waterfall. Just from that very moment, “Bahubali” seemed like it will leave no stone unturned to justify its mammoth budget. The music department although is too weak to even comment about.

The film suffers from weak set of actors. The actors in the film have less of dialogues and more of deep breathes. Not a single performance, and especially Tamannah’s performace, looked deserving enough to suffice the film’s scale. Although Daggubatti’s introduction scene shows him in enough energy and it seemed like he will drive the film. But sadly we only see a saddled role which is overplayed by Daggubatti.

In the final tally, I was amazed by the film’s climax which was enough to wipe off atleast some flaws out. If you ask me if I am willing to watch the film again, I might say no. I don’t think I have the patience to go through the emptiness of first half. But if you ask me will I recommend this film to people, I will say definitely. Because as I mentioned in first line, its not just any other Indian movie. It has something you might not watch every other Friday. Keep you expectation neutral and there are fewer chances of you coming out complaining about the film.

Rating – 2.5/5