Perhaps, those who published their review for Bahubali 2 were correct. What is there in Bahubali 2 – The Conclusion? There were no slum children shown pooping in open. There was no suffering of the poor, weaker sections and religious minorities. It was all about a man avenging his father’s death. How can such movies be made in twenty first century? These Hindus remain rooted in the past glory. This love for Hinduism culminates when Bahubali cuts head of one guy for as silly a reason as ‘Eve Teasing’! Gosh. Seems director was Inspiration to Yogi’s Anti Romeo Squads.
To start with, there was this big Ganesh statue, as if his annual visits are not enough. And an elephant rampaging in the street. So, what if the hero climbs onto the elephant, after all it was his pet. Hey, how can be a computerised elephant be petted? Faulty direction, in the very first scene. I told you na? Above all these, there is scene reminding Ravana Dahana. Huh!
One can’t help with fault finders. But here’s my review of Bahubali 2.
Well, Bahubali was a grandeur where the vision of the director was limitless. The feeling is beyond words, expressions and descriptions. There was a Kalidasa who could think of sending message through clouds in ‘Megha Sandesham’. Now there is a Rajamouli. I was expecting a repetition of Titanic pose, when Prabhas started his journey to Mahishmati, with Anushka in tow. I was wrong. I as touring the dreamland of Bahubali, when the ship leaped into the sky where clouds started running like horses.
The way Kuntala Desa was shown in Bahubali 2 would make everyone want to visit the place once at least.
Like his inspiration KV Reddy, Rajamouli created his own Maya Bazaar in Bahubali 2 – again. If KV Reddy created a maya bazaar in his movie, Rajamouli exhibited the strength of Prabhas’ arms, by making Anushka walking on his hands. The literal Bahubali moment!
As Anushka said, Rajamouli made her enact entire life of a woman. Maybe it is the first time Anushka is seen in a major role in Hindi, but down south, she was the original ‘Jintata Chita Chita’ girl (in Vikramarkudu, another of Rajamouli’s original). Here was a quintessential Indian woman, who knows not only to fight but also to keep her self-respect intact, at any cost.
By the time Bhallala Deva takes a deep breath after sitting on the Singhasan, the public support to Bahubali and the beautifully caught reverberations of people thumping for their loving leader shows, what real power is. May be a lesson for the leaders of current generation, given our country is now a democratic one.
The never-ending question of nepotism -vs- Dharma was captured in a clear way. Ramya Krishnan, perhaps the most powerful character of the Bahubali 2 was at her best, while Anushka too held her forte when she contradicts and challenges her way of Dharma.
The fall of Bhallala Deva and the symbolic gesture of the head of his golden statue falling down the waterfalls, near to the Shiv Linga was perhaps Rajamouli’s acknowledgement of the epic Ramayana.
Like the good old stories, I read in Chandamama, Bahubali 2 too is an experience to relish even after decades. Bahubali 2 is a typical Indian movie where nativity was shown its best.
Starting with Ganesha, Ravana Dahana, Homa Kund and finally Siva Sayuja, in a way, this movie belongs to Vedic period. Maybe because it has India painted all over it that made it look so gorgeous. Now, I understand why all the savages from the west invaded India. Who would not like to own such a beauty? On the other hand, if one grows in believing all that is in India is only slums, which were leftovers of the erstwhile Mughal empire and British Raj, how can we negate them? After all, India was reduced to a cheap imitation of what it once was. And hence as the final finishing words of this review, I must make it sure that I am thankful to Rajamouli that at least for some three hours, I could live in the grandeur of the past.