Bahubali 2 : The Conclusion - Review

Why Kattapa.. Why?? A question probably 1.4+ billion people have been quizzed about for the past 2 years.. Well, I assure you, the wait for that answer was worth more than the stunts, songs or a budget of 2.5 billion INR.. It probably was a combination of one of the most emotionally and frustratingly epic scene I've ever witnessed in Indian cinema.. Just the grandeur of that one scene gave for some goosebumps; for some a prolonged tear jerker; and for some absolute silence with awe.

The Conclusion is helmed on 5 shoulders.. #Prabhas, #Sathyaraj, #RanaDaggubati, #AnushkaShetty and #RamyaKrishan, who have all done their parts well. But the strength of the movie is Prabhas who literally lived the character. The support cast have all done their parts brilliantly.

S.S. Rajamouli is a Genius of a Screen Writer and Director for breathing life into K.V. Vijayendra Prasad's sensational story!

We were drawn in with BAAHUBALI: THE BEGINNING and today, we are blown away with BAAHUBALI: THE CONCLUSION!

A Beautiful, Fiery, Explosive, Phenomenal, Epic Conclusion!!!

Performance wise this is a Prabhas film all the way who gave his blood sweat and complete dedication in portraying the Dual Role of Father and Son.Rana was also brilliant as Bhalladeva with veteran actors Satyaraj and Nasser were very convincing.Ramaya had an author backed role which she did splendidly.Anushka looked beautiful and totally owned the character of Devasena.However Tammanna was totally missing only appearing in the climax.

This movie had a good mix of soulful songs, witty one liners, amazing sound effects, bgm, beautiful locations (both original and visually created), grand sets, hard hitting stunts and touching moments placed aptly.

I had read earlier that the VFX is in par with #TheLordOfTheRings and #HarryPotter.. I would say it is top notch for Indian cinema.

There is so much more to the story of Baahubali than the WKKB question. The story takes us through the Love blooming between Amarendra Baahubali and Devasena, then delves into the Politics in the Mahishmathi Kingdom and some shocking revelations ensure the pace is kept high and then comes the sequence of Kattappa killing Baahubali. From then, the story becomes predictable and turns into a clichéd revenge drama. But the greatness of SS Rajamouli as a top- notch technician of the movie lies in how well he keeps the audience engaged and absorbed into the story. The entire narrative of Baahubali has been fleshed out and the emotions are handled very well indeed. The sequence of Kattappa and Baahubali has been used for maximum dramatic effect.

Wherever there are no strong emotions to keep us focused, Rajamouli resorts to Visuals.A separate mention has to go to the Visuals of the movie. The movie is visually stunning. So stunning indeed that it is one of, if not the most beautiful Indian film so far. Every frame of it oozes grandeur. Some of the sequences, especially the Visuals of the Romance song between Devasena and Baahubali match the standards of Hollywood. No doubt about it.

However, that is where the comparison with Hollywood must end, in all fairness. The movie is Indian at its core and the story, which heavily draws inspiration from the famous characters of Maha Bharatha is not new to the audience. It is an age old tale of Sibling Rivalry set in a different world and its saving grace are the great characters that populate the world of Baahubali. The actors have done a great job with stellar performances from Anushka, Satyaraj, RamyaKrishna, Nasser and Rana. They all acted very well. But ultimately it is Prabhas that steals the show. His performance is apt, controlled and is almost always on point. He never over-does his role.

All the technicians that have worked for the film have done a fabulous job as well. The music by MM Keeravani is wonderful and his BGM takes the experience to new heights. Senthil Kumar's cinematography is another big plus for the movie.

The pacing of the movie is amazing but it falters towards the end, as what happens becomes predictable and in the final battle, the viewers are treated at the same time to wonderful visuals and clichés. However, the events leading to the climax more than make up for it. Ultimately the ending is a safe one and the final sequence neatly ties it to the beginning of the first movie. Very sublime.

Finally, Baahubali is today's blockbuster, tomorrow's classic and is definitely one of the most important films for Indian movie industry. Watch it for the Visuals and Rajamouli's superb narration. It is an Indian film with an Indian story and is suffused with Indian sensibilities. That makes it a breathe of fresh air.