Tuesday 2 May 2017

BAHUBALI - 02 : MY REVIEW



A COLOSSAL ENTERTAINER
(By Subbaram Danda)


Amarendra Bahubali teaching archery to Devasena.

BAHUBALI - 02 : THE CONCLUSION is a grand spectacle of gigantic proportions.  Lavish sets, exotic locations and splendid graphics make the film a cinematic extravaganza.  Bizarre battle scenes, blood curdling fights and frenzied heroic deeds come out vividly alive.  Glitzy dances, tuneful songs and catchy lyrics add a touch of romance to the action-oriented fast-paced three-hour show.  The movie dazzles, mesmerises and stuns the viewers.  

My wife and I watched the Telugu version of the film at a PVR cinema hall in the Grand Mall at Chennai’s southern suburb of Velachery on May 2.  To say the least, we enjoyed it.


At the PVR cinemas, Velachery
 
The picture succeeds BAHUBALI - 01: THE BEGINNING, which was a major hit a couple of years ago.  It ended throwing up a teaser.   Why did most loyal and faithful warrior chief Kattappa (Satyaraj) kill Amarendra Bahubali (Prabhas) of the royal family?  This kept the film-goers wondering. They eagerly looked forward to the sequel.

Amarendra Bahubali in one of his proud moments

The story of the final part bristles with twists and turns, intrigues and imponderables.  At times it lacks in conviction.  It revolves around two contenders to the throne of the kingdom of Mahishmati -- cousins Amarendra Bahubali and Bhallaladeva (Rana Daggubati).  The two covet Princess Devasena (Anushka Shetty) of another territory.  However, Bahubali and Devasena hit it off.  Also, the reigning Queen Mother Sivagami of Mahishmati (Ramya Krishnan) favours Bahubali to the throne in view of his gallantry.  But falling a prey to Bhallaladeva’s machinations, she directs Bahubali to choose either love or crown.   Bahubali prefers the hand of Devasena.  Bhallaladeva ascends the throne and manages to get Bahubali banished from the palace.  He further prevails upon the queen to order over-faithful Kattappa to assassinate Bahubali.  Bound by his word to serve the royalty under all circumstances, Kattappa completes his job by stabbing him in the back.  This part appears patently contrived and many may not like it.  The revenge scene unfolds years later and is enacted by Amarendra’s son Mahendra Bahubali (Prabhas in a double role).  His soulmate is Avantika (Tamannah). 


Devasena in a dance sequence

The arena for the coronation of  Bhallaladeva
  
A part of the Mahishmati palace

Kattappa stabbing Amarendra Bahubali in the back

Bhallaladeva

Mahendra Bahubali

What makes the film succeed exceedingly well, despite the unconvincing and over-stretched storyline, is its glittering package of bewitching visual effects. In the euphoria generated, the viewers remain completely awe-struck. While the first flick was a treat to watch, the second is a feast to relish.  One should see it in a cinema hall with a modern wide screen and excellent acoustics to savour its delights.  The emotions expressed by Ramya Krishnan, Anushka and Prabhas overwhelm the viewers.  Satyaraj's performance is one of his career's best. Cinematographer Senthil Kumar has done a marvellous job turning his frames into memorable images.  Director S.S. Rajamouli merits all-out appreciation for making his entire team toil willingly to produce a masterpiece.

The film opened on April 28, 2017 in over 9,000 screens nationwide, including 1,500 in just the two Telugu-speaking states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.  This is in addition to overseas releases.  The cash registers kept ringing and the box office collected a record Rs.125 crores on the first day itself.  Even Bahubali-01, which garnered Rs.60 crore on the inaugural day, seems an underperformer now!  Through its full run, the first part reportedly fetched Rs.600 crores and the sequel promises to rake in Rs.1,200 crores going by current trends. 

The fantasy has unwittingly bagged another trophy.  It has proudly lifted the status of the south Indian film industry to new heights of glory, smashing the dominance of Bollywood not only in terms of collections but also in creating world-class blockbusters. 

May 02, 2017
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