Ahem...
The wait is finally over . I have watched Bahubali 2: The conclusion. I can now rest in peace without having to check the Bahubali movie channel for updates, video promos, motion posters etc , which were a saviour during the excruciating two year wait . Honestly don't remember waiting for any other movie so long.
The fascination started with Part 1.
Now, I am a sucker for any historic/periodic/myth/futuristic/space-moon-stars related movie that makes its way to the theatres. Somehow, the idea that you can go back/forward in time and live for a 3 hour period in a different world - is enchanting. To the extent, that I even endure ventures such as the Rajnikanth (not really him) movie - Kochadaiiyaan. I have the utterly useless talent of mouthing all dialogues from Avatar , even in my sleep.
Where it began - Bahubali 1
Bahubali -I , though - was a unique experience - probably the joy of watching an Indian movie that is so spell binding in its treatment and making. I watched the first part in the theatre - and instantly fell for the grandeur, story telling , magnificence and most of all - scale of imagination .
The way the waterfall was treated like a character in the movie - the first time Prabhas follows Tamannaah across its lengths and breadths - Loved how Shivu was running across , but Avantika floats through the waterfall creaks and crevices - implying he was merely hallucinating on the way up.Not to mention, some Avatar inspired water cruising, forest leaping shots. Defying logic, there's no helping falling for the boyish charms of the curly haired, rugged Shivu. In the next 5 minutes - you see a completely different Avantika - fiery, focused- killing soldiers by the dozen. An intro into the strong women characters Rajamouli weaves through the movie.
The Maahismathi intro scene, where the camera traverses through Maahishmathi's grand entrances with elephants (notice the palm trees beneath the elephant's legs, that look like toothpicks - video below ). Rana's introduction scene from the back side , flinging his coat to the wind and flexing some impossible looking muscles - what an antagonist portrayal! You know that our hero is pitted against a wild bull taming, menacing, heartless emperor villain - and that intro sets you up for what's to come.
The wait is finally over . I have watched Bahubali 2: The conclusion. I can now rest in peace without having to check the Bahubali movie channel for updates, video promos, motion posters etc , which were a saviour during the excruciating two year wait . Honestly don't remember waiting for any other movie so long.
The fascination started with Part 1.
Now, I am a sucker for any historic/periodic/myth/futuristic/space-moon-stars related movie that makes its way to the theatres. Somehow, the idea that you can go back/forward in time and live for a 3 hour period in a different world - is enchanting. To the extent, that I even endure ventures such as the Rajnikanth (not really him) movie - Kochadaiiyaan. I have the utterly useless talent of mouthing all dialogues from Avatar , even in my sleep.
Where it began - Bahubali 1
Bahubali -I , though - was a unique experience - probably the joy of watching an Indian movie that is so spell binding in its treatment and making. I watched the first part in the theatre - and instantly fell for the grandeur, story telling , magnificence and most of all - scale of imagination .
The way the waterfall was treated like a character in the movie - the first time Prabhas follows Tamannaah across its lengths and breadths - Loved how Shivu was running across , but Avantika floats through the waterfall creaks and crevices - implying he was merely hallucinating on the way up.Not to mention, some Avatar inspired water cruising, forest leaping shots. Defying logic, there's no helping falling for the boyish charms of the curly haired, rugged Shivu. In the next 5 minutes - you see a completely different Avantika - fiery, focused- killing soldiers by the dozen. An intro into the strong women characters Rajamouli weaves through the movie.
The Maahismathi intro scene, where the camera traverses through Maahishmathi's grand entrances with elephants (notice the palm trees beneath the elephant's legs, that look like toothpicks - video below ). Rana's introduction scene from the back side , flinging his coat to the wind and flexing some impossible looking muscles - what an antagonist portrayal! You know that our hero is pitted against a wild bull taming, menacing, heartless emperor villain - and that intro sets you up for what's to come.
The women - Ramya Krishna ,who holds her own even if she shares screen with Rajnikanth, was outstanding as Sivagami, the Raja matha. Sivagami in slow - mo - across the court corridors ! The nerves of steel she brings to the character! Rajamouli said in an interview that the story began when his father narrated the character of a Raja Matha and then, the whole story line fell in place.
The only blot in the picture , in Bahubali I - was the very weird romantic turn between Shivu and Avantika - that the hero "tames" the lead lady into falling in love. Left me wondering now the same maker who gave Sivagami, Devasena and warrior Avantika - could fall into cliches so lame.
The scene where our hero meets his chained mother for the first - time - the BGM and Mahendra Bahubali running in slo-mo... A lot of time in both movies is dedicated to Bahubali and Bhallala in slo-mo - and makes for some well deserved eye candy . One of Rajamouli's biggest achievements , to me - is making his lead men look the part and making them steal the glamour factor while his lead ladies are more focused on their roles :-)
I could go on about Bahubali 1 - Kattappa's intro , the goose-bumpy interval section with the sky high Bahubali statue, war strategies and Amarendra's "I don't care to butcher the bull - here's my own blood" charisma.
But it is time now to move on to Bahubali - 2 -before I forget the purpose of writing this post.
The Conclusion :
As the husband rightfully observed, for me - ogling at Bhallala and Bahubali - would have been reason enough to watch the second part . When they announced after the first part that the final release would be in 2017 - it was just too long a wait. In the meanwhile , I had watched the movie twice in the theatre and multiple other times online.
The opening credits set the stage for the second part - and my loyalties turned from Mahendra to Amarendra - one of the most endearing portrayals of a super hero . Amarendra has a stunning entry - where he saves his mom from a mad elephant, climbs on the trunk, hunches with style on one leg to use the same elephant to string a bow (wah!). Rajamouli let's his imagination run wild and no one's complaining,
Amarendra defies gravity, shoots three arrows out of his bow simultaneously , tames elephants, uproots trees like grass shoots , gallops on horses and bulls with equal style, floats across a dam on a dead tree, uses palm trees as catapults - yet , he his kind, loves his mom, feeds the poor , pines old school style for his lady love and has the luxury of roaming her kingdom to woo her, is the doting husband, guardian of justice, .....
Way too much to carry on his shoulders however broad - but you can't help buying it :-) He is just too endearing to laugh off. Eventually , I gave in. So much so, that it was hard to watch him die. In a weird way, there is a palpable distinction between watching Amarendra and Mahendra on screen. Their personas come across differently and the son is only a shadow of the father.
Anushka's Devasena, towers in the characterization . She is bold, brave and does not crouch behind the hero - she fights with him. Amarendra and Devasena's romance involves sharing shooting notes - in one of the best scenes of the movie. Anushka brings the princess aura, dignity and grace, like only she can on the big screen .
The answer to the WKKB question however, was not satisfactory. That the shrewd Sivagami would not see through so much of treachery in her own backyard, was not convincing enough for me . But it was a small price to pay, as the movie is about a lot more. Bhallala owns the screen and is at his menacing best. Kattappa and Sivagami - grey shades which both carry off effortlessly. I expected the climax to be as intense as the first part - but it wasn't, because you know where things are headed.
The visual splendour! Anushka's kingdom is shown in a white Swan motif theme - even the ship she comes in - is swan shaped . Contrasting the gold and brown feel of Mahishmathi. The sets blend seamlessly with the graphics and at no point is the CG shallow.
The motifs of the different kingdoms are impeccably maintained - throughout the movie - right from the royal crests, to the swords , armor and backdrops. Rajamouli coughs up imaginative flights of fantasy in every scene. So the swan ship flies, soldiers catapult off trees, the hero breaks statues with his bare hands, builds pulleys and complex levers like no man's business. There is just so much going on in each scene, that you want to go give Rajamouli a bear hug for thinking big and bringing it to life.
While the background score is outstanding - the Rahman fan girl in me - at the end of both movies, felt a craving to see the difference he would have made to the movie. The songs in both installments are meh .
I did not have the "Wow" feel after the movie - like after the first part. WKKB was'nt strong. Nevertheless, the sense of wonderment and awe, are intact .
Will watch again in theatres - and many more times later online. Because Bahubali is not just a hit. It is a classic that will be referred to for ages. If anything, it is a celebration of imagination - and that alone, is reason enough for its cult status.
Rajamouli and team - thank you for the experience.
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