“Bahubali: The Beginning” (2015) – Prabhas’ Breathtaking Indian Historical Period Piece

Writer/Director: S.S. Rajamouli

Starring: Prabhas, Sathyaraj and Nassar

‘A Brilliant Period Piece’

Not many actors in India are as beloved as Prabhas. Ever since his rise to fame in the 2000’s, Prabhas has become a celebrated icon in the Telugu film industry. Whether it’s bold gangsters, historical figures or doomed lovers, Prabhas has portrayed many strong characters. Arguably, Prabhas’ strength as an actor has always been his larger than life nature. He is one of those actors which has always elevated every movie through sheer presence. Even when he isn’t the main focus of a movie, Prabhas has always managed to leave a lasting impression. While he works in predominantly Telugu movies, Prabhas has achieved an immense following. Throughout an illustrious career that has spanned many decades, Prabhas has made several strong movies which are definitely without a doubt worth talking about.

I’m a fan of Prabhas and admire the movies which he has created in his career. However, “Bahubali: the Beginning” absolutely stands out as his most engaging movie. Released in 2015, S.S. Rajamouli’s movie offered a bold portrayal of medieval kings in Indian history. Packed with breathtaking action, immersive action and phenomenal acting, it’s a brilliant Bollywood historical drama. At the centre of it all is an iconic performance from Prabhas, who embodies a majestic warrior embarking on an adventure. Although “Bahubali” is an engaging Bollywood historical period piece, it isn’t a flawless film. It suffers from lengthy running time which tests viewers’ patience. Nevertheless, it offers strong entertainment which would definitely satisfy fans of Indian historical dramas.

“Bahubali: the Beginning” tells the story of an orphan that embarks on a journey that’s life-changing. Prabhas portrays Sivudu, an adventurous warrior that seeks to make his dreams come true. Sivudu has always had a passion for embarking on adventures since his youth in a village. However, Sivudu’s life changes when he embarks on an adventure to rescue a princess in situations of danger. Avanthika (Tamannaah Bhatia) is a princess that has been held captive for 25 years in a dire situation causing trauma. As he puts his life in danger, Sivudu questions whether he will accomplish his mission of rescuing the celebrated queen that he has grown up to treasure. Faced with a dilemma, Sivudu is forced to question whether he can become a successful warrior in India.

S.S. Rajamouli has always been fascinated with the historical genre. A brilliant Telugu filmmaker, Rajamouli has often made great historical period pieces throughout a career. With “Bahubali: the Beginning”, however, the filmmaker made his first historical epic. It’s the filmmaker’s first attempt to capture the lives of legendary warriors in Indian history, but he succeeds immensely. Using stunning cinematography, Rajamouli captures the life of an adventurous warrior embarking upon a journey. Inspired by Ashutosh Gowariker’s “Jodhaa Akhbar”, Rajamouli uses handheld camerawork to capture the life of a majestic king on adventures. For instance, handheld camerawork elevates the journeying scene. During this unforgettable scene, Sivudu sets off on an ambitious adventure travelling in an epic continent. Using stunning handheld camerawork, Rajamouli created a portrait of warriors that’s engaging. Handheld camera is a tricky technique to use in Bollywood. As Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Devdas” claimed, handheld camera elevates Bollywood films about alcoholism. Nevertheless, it works in this film. Using stunning visuals, Rajamouli captures tensions which historical warriors are facing.

Another strong aspect of “Bahubali” that merits appreciation is production. From a technical perspective, it’s one of the best Bollywood movies which you will ever see. Evoking Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, Rajamouli effectively uses cross-cutting to create battle sequences which are engaging. For instance, cross-cutting elevates the climactic Battle of Kalakeya scene. During this entertaining scene, the kingdom of Mahishmati faces tension going into battle against Inkari. Using stunning cross-cutting, Rajamouli crafts bold action sequences that prove engaging. Moreover, the musical score is phenomenal. It gives the movie an epic atmosphere capturing the burden which warriors bear. Through strong production, Rajamouli captures medieval warriors on a mission.

Storytelling is one of the main reasons why “Bahubali: the Beginning” is a Bollywood period piece that’s engaging. The film is extremely well-written, and successfully uses dramatic monologues to capture the hardships majestic kings are experiencing. For instance, the monologues enhance the speech scene. During this heartfelt scene, Sivudu delivers an emotional speech which expresses his devotion toward his kingdom. Through engaging monologues, Rajamouli creates a strong portrait of kings audiences can relate to. Monologues are tricky to use in movies. As K. Asif’s “Mughal E Azam” did suggest clearly, monologues elevate epics about Mughal emperors. Nevertheless, it works immensely in this movie. Using an excellent screenplay, Rajamouli captures kings which experience a painful price to pay.

One appreciates amazing performances.

Prabhas delivers one of his finest career performances as Sivudu. Prabhas first earned appreciations playing romantic heroes in Telugu movies. With “Bahubali”, however, he took on his most complex role. It isn’t easy to portray a medieval warrior embarking on an adventure which causes adversity but he succeeds immensely. This is the actor unlike you have ever seen him before: intense, charismatic and emotional in his most memorable role. With engaging expressions, he captures the ambition, grief and resentment faced by a majestic warrior on missions. It’s a powerful performance by one of the most celebrated actors working in India today.

While the movie is mainly a bold showcase for Prabhas, the supporting cast is brilliant and worthy of praise. Tamannah Bhatia is terrific, bringing charisma to a princess on an adventure to escape captivity in India. Rana Daggubati is remarkable, capturing the ferocious personality of a warrior that is determined to conquer battles in history. Lastly, Anushka Shetty merits appreciation. As a legendary queen, she brings wisdom to the movie.

Despite its brilliant performances, however, “Bahubali: the Beginning” can’t fully capture tensions that legendary kings are facing. If there’s a minor shortcoming to the movie, it lacks engaging pacing. Rajamouli’s choice to integrate subplots about political matters into the film is bold but hinders the pacing. Due to this faulty decision, scenes focusing on political discussions of the kingdom are not as entertaining as Sivudu’s expeditions. Therefore, “Bahubali: the Beginning” is one of those Telugu movies which not everyone will adore.

Nevertheless, fans of Prabhas will definitely enjoy “Bahubali: the Beginning” and so will audiences seeking riveting entertainment. A bold Bollywood historical drama, it honours an actor that’s beloved in India.

Nearly a decade following the release of an epic Indian historical drama about princes facing circumstances that are tragic, it’s a fantastic reminder of a beloved Telugu actor that has built a lasting legacy by portraying compelling characters in iconic movies that have never lost their abilities to consistently captivate the public.

4.5/5 stars