The Beginning, and the Conclusion, is a two-part Indian Telugu epic film directed by S.S.Rajamouli and penned by V.Vijayandraprasad. The concept of Baahubali safeguards society from impending foes and catastrophic events in antiquity. He was inspired to study this subject by his fascination with the Mahabharata and stories about Amar Chitra Katha and Chandamama. Throughout the Bahubali film series, kshatriyatva is emphasised, with three bloodlines of Bahubali described as desiring to serve the people selflessly. As one of Indian cinema’s most triumphant two-part films, Baahubali has gained a noteworthy following.
Let’s get straight to the point: Baahubali is a work of fiction. Indian mythologies, Amar Chitra and Chandamama comics inspired the film’s director and writer. Past epics similarly influence the characters, war strategies, and kingdom of the movie Baahubali.
The Orvakal Rock Gardens
The film production began in 2013 at Orvakal Rock Gardens in Kurnool. In this natural landscape, long, flowing bodies of water are surrounded by regal rock formations. During a scene in which Sivagami instructs Baahubali and Balaladeva to capture the spy who stole the kingdom’s enigmas and straining to trade them to Kalakeya’s domain, the spy jumps from a mountain where he sees no escape and the rock gardens blend in seamlessly within the frame as Baahubali jumps back to catch him. According to the scene, the location appears to be a hot, sunny desert place where there is a possibility of chasing the antagonist’s spy.
As can be seen in Baahubali: the conclusion, the same shooting spot in Kurnool was used during the filming of Baahubali and Devisena’s expulsion; they are moved in with the villagers to settle among them. In the song Dandaalayyaa, villagers work with Baahubali to enhance the area. As shown in the above picture, the numbers 2 and 3 marks were the areas the shooting had taken place. The entire area resembled how the villagers lived concerning where Baahubali lived before. In the above image, numbers 2 and 3 indicate where the shooting occurred. A king like Baahubali settles well with the people and surrounding regions. According to Baahubali, he strives to develop the settlement with the help of nearby objects and accessible mechanisms to improve living conditions.
In the Fictitious City Of Mahishmati
In writing about Baahubali, the first thing that comes to mind is ‘JAI MAHISHMATI’. Mahishmati kingdom was a fictional creation, but it was modelled on ancient cities such as Ayodhya in the Ramayana, Indraprastha and Mayasabha in the Mahabharata. The effort went into creating the ideological fantasy world of Mahishmati by director Rajamouli, production designer Sabu Cyril, and concept designer Viswanath Sundaram. The step was phenomenal despite the challenges of recreating archaic existence in a film. The magnificence of each shot is an awe-inspiring experience for someone who has seen Bahubali films. A look at Mahishmati’s architecture reveals that it is unique, far beyond what we can comprehend or capture. It transcends the visually stunning architecture found in urban areas. In addition to being outstandingly captivating and well-protected, these palaces contain several sensational compartments to behold. Bahubali’s war ways, outfits, and rites all bear the imprint of history and legends. As a result, we should acknowledge the architecture of ancient cities, political systems, and security standards in our history and folklore at that time.
In general, today’s young generation is more cosmopolitan than previous generations. According to historical reports of ancient cities, ancient societies had a plunging wisdom of architecture, science, arts, and aesthetics. The current state of research and discoveries inspires this direction, and films such as Baahubali vividly describe the grandeur of time immemorial. Let’s look at the architecture behind the two-part series of Baahubali.
The Mahishmati Empire
In the above image, Prince Shivudu appears to be raging against the Mahishmati Empire to extricate Devasena from King Balaladeva. Mahishmati kingdom showcases superior architecture and a heavy industry empire that governs many ecoregions and colonial states. This image allows us to see the empire’s distant view as the city was built on a hilltop in an organised hierarchy with enormous and giant sculptures enveloping it. Observing closely, we can see a strong influence of mixed- architecture. On the mountainous stairs, colonies are distributed from top to bottom, surrounded by a big barrier of fortifications. A river circles Mahishmati’s city; nearby forests provide a desert-like backdrop. West of the city and across the river are battlegrounds. Mahishmati’s colonial kingdoms and villages are to the north, which includes Kuala-the territory of Devasena. The Kathari, Surani, and Kalakeya people live to the south.
Gateways to The City.
Any kingdom entering Mahishmati will use the eastern edge of the Battle Grounds as their main entry route. Upon closer examination, we observe that giant elephant statues were placed near the entranceway, representing positivity and fortune. Vastu shastra says elephants with their trunks up are symbols of power and protection. In the upper part of the elephant statues are ancient guard rooms/security areas. The upper structure shows Cambodian temple architecture mixed with cubism forms. Between the various spaces, giant bells were placed that, when rung by guards, alert other guards in different locations that someone had entered the kingdom. As far back as those days, a lever-pulley gate was the main entry point allowed to open and close at specific times each day and sometimes by order of the King.
Royal’s Temple
Sabu Cyril designs an actual life-size temple set in Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad. This Shiva temple is situated within the internal complex, near the places of kings and royalty. As there are no walls in this temple, only seven columns belt it, and there is a spacious area for priests to conduct daily rituals and enough space for kings, queens, and princes to perform the pooja, exalting the image of openness to worship the god, as their orderlies and assistants stand back from them so they can have a clear view of how the prayers have functioned. When closely observed, there is a substantial similarity between the white Shiva linga and the idea of harmony.
King’s Throne
The King’s throne is in the central square, where the royals and ministers conduct public meetings, make important announcements, and conduct festival activities.
It is possible to view the elaborate structures of the Mahishmati Kingdom at Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad, where there is a broad set of the King’s coronation. The King’s throne is on the central square, from which the royals and ministers conduct general public meetings, share important announcements and conduct festival activities. Starting with a taller base, a king’s throne is arranged in descending order, with the five beds stacked on each other. A king’s chair is positioned on the fifth bed, which feels made of stone due to its built-in structure. It is possible to view the elaborate systems of the Mahishmati Kingdom at Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad, where there is a broad set of the King’s coronation. The King’s throne is on the central square, from which the royals and ministers conduct general public meetings, share important announcements and conduct festival activities. Starting with a taller base, a king’s throne is arranged in descending order, with the five beds stacked on each other. A king’s chair is positioned on the fifth bed, which feels made of stone due to its built-in structure. The structure is shaped like a chariot, with wheels carved onto its sides and straight seeding steps extending to the King’s seat around the elevated base.
References:
Dey, S. (2017) Baahubali’s mahishmati empire shares its name with this ancient city in central India, The Better India. Available at: https://www.thebetterindia.com/95898/baahubali-mahismati-ancient-indian-city/ (Accessed: March 26, 2023).
Tambi, S. G. (2019) Bahubali Mahishmati 3D Model | 3D Generalist | LIGHTING Demo Reel. india. Available at: https://youtu.be/1rm6o3elknY (Accessed: March 26, 2023).
Yuqiao, J. (2021) Render farm behind the scenes of Indian epic “Baahubali 2” shows how innovation drives transformation and development in Xinjiang, Globaltimes.cn. Available at: https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202110/1237000.shtml (Accessed: March 26, 2023).
Chronicle, D. (2019) The 10 most expensive movie sets ever built, Deccanchronicle.com. Available at: https://www.deccanchronicle.com/151016/entertainment-bollywood/article/10-most-expensive-movie-sets-ever-built (Accessed: March 23, 2023).
Sundaram, V. (2020) BAAHUBALI – MAHISHMATI ENTRANCE GATE POST VIZ, Behance.net. Available at: https://www.behance.net/gallery/98085949/BAAHUBALI-MAHISHMATI-ENTRANCE-GATE-POST-VIZ (Accessed: March 26, 2023).
Dr, S. (2016) Bahubali 2 architecture design. Available at: https://youtu.be/L96kbcVrw8c (Accessed: March 26, 2023).
Sundaram, V., VISUAL DEVELOPMENT AND CONCEPT DESIGN, Artstation.com. Available at: https://www.artstation.com/viswanath-sundaram (Accessed: March 26, 2023).
Siddam, V. S. S., Baahubali 2: The Conclusion – LIGHTING AND LOOK DEVELOPMENT, Artstation.com. Available at: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/Anmvo (Accessed: March 26, 2023).
Offbeater (2022) Bahubali Movie Set, Artstation.com. Available at: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/3qVOlo (Accessed: March 26, 2023).
Suresh , Bahubali movie set tour in Hyderabad, Ramojifilmcity.com. Available at: https://www.ramojifilmcity.com/bahubali-set (Accessed: March 26, 2023).
Ramnath, N. (2015) ‘The only thing was that it had to be believable,’ says the production designer of ‘Baahubali’, Scroll.in. Available at: https://scroll.in/article/741336/the-only-thing-was-that-it-had-to-be-believable-says-the-production-designer-of-baahubali (Accessed: March 26, 2023).
Kumar, H. (2017) Baahubali 2: Production designer Sabu Cyril talks about working on SS Rajamouli’s epic-Entertainment News , Firstpost. Firstpost.
Unudurti, J. (2017) Bahubali sets: Prabhas’ kingdom of Mahishmati now a big tourist draw, Mumbai Mirror. Available at: https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/others/sunday-read/welcome-to-mahishmati/articleshow/61706324.cms (Accessed: March 26, 2023).
Kannikeswaran, K. (2017) The meaning of Bahubali, Swarajyamag. Available at: https://swarajyamag.com/blogs/the-meaning-of-bahubali (Accessed: March 26, 2023).
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FAQs
What is the central idea of Bahubali? ›
The central theme of the film, which symbolises the "victory of good over evil" is the message given by all popular mythological lexicons, be it the image of the fiery Mahishasuramardini who painstakingly destroyed the mahishasura and ended the rule of the demons, or the warrior king Rama who upheld the virtues of ...
What is so special about Bahubali? ›Strong female characters of story: Bahubali had very strong female characters in story. Played by equally talented actors. its three women – Devasena, Sivagami and Avanthika were actually the real heroes.
Is Bahubali realistic? ›Coming right to the point, Bahubali is 'mostly' a work of fiction. However, the script writer, K. V. Vijayendra Prasad, father of director S. S. Rajamouli, made every possible effort to draw inspirations from ancient Indian epics- Mahabharata and Ramayana.
Is the palace in Bahubali real? ›The palaces, the statutes, and the overall architecture of the fictional city was constructed keeping in mind the tiniest details of the film and since the film has created history, Ramoji Film City has decided to preserve these sets and turn them into tourist attractions.
What is the full meaning of Bahubali? ›Bahubali (English: One With Strong Arms), a much revered figure among Jains, was the son of Rishabadeva (the first tirthankara of Jainism) and the brother of Bharata Chakravartin.
What is the strength of Bahubali? ›Abilities. Strength - Baahubali is one of the characters in the franchise who has superhuman strength, possibly from natural training or since birth. He has most notably destroyed jugganut chariot gates, tossed a chariot, a ball on a rope, and lifted a tree up by a chain.
What is the moral of bahubali 2? ›Lesson: No leader can ever win a battle alone, and the only way you can come out victorious is to teach your followers they could be heroes too. A true leader is one who takes his subordinate's potential and transforms it into something greater than mere talent or skill.
Why was Baahubali killed? ›Baahubali stood against his kingdom to marry Devasena, so he left Mahishmati and seeing this as a threat, the newly appointed King Bhallaladeva wanted him dead. Kattappa killed Baahubali because it was his duty to secure the king of Mahishmati and he ia a slave of the throne as he said in Baahubali 1.
Is Bahubali based on anything? ›Director S. S. Rajamouli revealed that Baahubali is inspired by the epic Mahabharata. V. Vijayendra Prasad, the screenwriter and Rajamouli's father who wrote stories for most of Rajamouli's films, once again penned the story for Baahubali.
Is Bahubali a mythology? ›Bahubali, also called Gommateshvara, According to the traditions of the Indian religion Jainism, the son of the first Tirthankara (literally, “ford maker,” a metaphor for saviour), Rishabhanatha. He is said to have lived many millions of years ago.
Was Mahishmati real? ›
Mahishmati (IAST: Māhiṣmatī) was an ancient city in present-day central India. It was located in present-day Madhya Pradesh, on the banks of Narmada River, although its exact location is uncertain.
Is Baahubali a demigod? ›Baahubali is symbolically shown as demigod or avatar of Lord Vishnu.
Is the Bahubali waterfall real? ›After watching the first Baahubali film, the one question people had was, “Where is the waterfall shown in Baahubali?”. Thus the shot of the waterfalls was taken directly from a real place in Kerala called the Vazhachal Falls. The movie displayed a tall waterfall which goes all the way up to the kingdom Mahishmati.
Is the elephant in Bahubali real? ›Chirakkal Kalidasan (born c. 1980) is a famous Asian elephant. He is the second tallest elephant in India. He is famous for his huge fan base and he acted a major role in the film Bahubali.
What empire is Bahubali based on? ›Baahubali's tale is set in the kingdom of Mahishmati, which contrary to popular notion, is not entirely fictional.
What is the religion of Bahubali? ›After achieving victory in non-violence controversy done against his brother “Bharat”, Lord Bahubali willingly attained salvation and became a Jain Monk. After that he did austerity in “Kyotsarg” way relentlessly for a year. Meanwhile, he achieved “Kevalgyan” and received “Arihant”.
Is Baahubali a Shiva? ›Mahendra Baahubali (pronounced: muh-HEN-dra BAA-hoo-BUH-lee), named Shiva (SHI-va) or Shivudu (SHI-voo-doo) by his foster mother, Sanga, is the main protagonist of the Baahubali movie series.
Is Bahubali hit or flop? ›It became the highest-grossing film in India grossing ₹5.58 billion in 5 days.
Who is the enemy of Bahubali? ›Rana Daggubati as Ballala Deva – Villan in Bahubali Movie
Rana Daggubati plays the role of the main antagonist in Bahubali as the powerful king of Mahishmati kingdom.
| Rank | Overseas (Gross) | India (Gross) |
|---|---|---|
| 4. Baahubali 2 Hindi (2017) | 157.19 | 736.24 |
| 5. PK (2014) | 342.50 | 489.00 |
| 6. Sultan (2016) | 168.00 | 420.65 |
| 7. KGF Chapter 2 (Hindi) (2022) | 71.00 | 512.85 |
Who is the queen in Baahubali? ›
Devasena. Devasena is the lead female character of the Baahubali franchise along with Sivagami. Princess of Kuntala Kingdom, Devasena is a skilled fighter and a great archer. Amarendra Baahubali falls in love with her during a visit to Kuntala kingdom.
Why did Baahubali 2 fail in China? ›Film exhibitor Akshaye Rathi said that Chinese not liking Baahubali 2 had largely to do with the demographics of that country. He told us, “I think it all comes down to the demographics of a country. Audiences in China could not connect to Baahubali 2 the way Indian audiences did, and it's as simple as that.
What is the villain language in Bahubali? ›Kiliki or Kilikili is a fictional language originally created by Madhan Karky for the 2015 Indian epic adventure film Baahubali: The Beginning.
Who killed real Bahubali? ›Why Kattappa killed Amarendra Baahubali? The question why Kattappa, a loyal slave warrior would kill his own king Amarendra Baahubali, has left many fans in the lurch for over two years. Kattappa is portrayed as a man with principle, for whom loyalty is the ultimate virtue.
Who was the baby in Bahubali? ›Baby Akshitha has several important scenes in the film, mostly with actor Ramya Krishnan, who plays Sivagami. Manorama Online reports that the child in this particular scene is Akshitha Valslan, who was all of 18 days when she played the infant warrior prince, Mahendra Baahubali.
Is Kalakeya real? ›There is no epigraphic or archaeological proof of the existence of Kalakeya. But, the literature has abundance of references to Kalakeyas. The Kalakeyas have been referred to as demons.
Why was Bahubali not king? ›Amarendra Baahubali having fallen in love with Devasena, naturally, chooses her over being King. As a result of Amarendra Baahubali's choice, Bhallaladeva is crowned the new King. Amarendra Baahubali is given Bhallaladevas old job as commander of the army.
How much did Prabhas charge for Bahubali? ›Before the release of Baahubali, reports indicate that Prabhas was paid 20 crores per film. Before the release of Baahubali, reports indicate that Prabhas was paid 20 crores per film.
Is Bahubali 3 coming? ›Excitement is rife as the much awaited Bahubali 3 will be Soon release in 2023. Directed by S.S. Rajamouli, this period-drama film is based on the epic Story.
Is RRR Based on a true story? ›As reported earlier, RRR is a fictional story based on the lives of two Telugu freedom fighters, Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem. The two roles are played by Ram Charan and Jr NTR, respectively.
Is Bahubali based on Ramayana? ›
Not just RRR, SS Rajamouli's magnum opus Baahubali was heavily inspired by Ramayana too. While the first part had references to Mahabharata, the second part drew inspiration from the legend of Rama (the part where Baahubali and Devseana are banished from the Royal Palace.
Who are the kings of Mahishmati? ›Mahishmati was ruled by king Somadeva, then by Bhallaladeva, and now by Mahendra Baahubali and Avanthika.
Who attacked Mahishmati Kingdom? ›Ravana, who reigned over Lanka attacked Mahishmati during the rule of Kartavirya Arjuna.
Who were the Haihayas of Mahishmati? ›The five Haihaya clans were Vitihotra, Sharyata, Bhoja, Avanti and Tundikera. The Haihayas were native to the present-day Malwa region of Western Madhya Pradesh. The Puranas style the Haihayas as the first ruling dynasty of Mahishmati.
Is Bahubali inspired from Lord of the Rings? ›When SS Rajamouli's 'Baahubali' hit screens, it was easy to draw spitting similarities between characters in the Telugu film and the Hollywood epic 'LOTR'. Many even went as far as declaring the film as the Indian equivalent of the Oscar-winning franchise.
Do Hindu gods have demigods? ›In Hinduism, the term demigod is used to refer to deities who were once human and later became devas (gods). There are two notable demigods in Vedic Scriptures: Nandi (the divine vehicle of Shiva), and Garuda (the divine steed of Vishnu).
Do underwater waterfalls exist? ›The world's largest waterfall is in the ocean
This infographic illustrates how a large underwater cataract (waterfall) naturally forms underneath the waves within the Denmark Strait.
Located in Guiyang, China, the waterfall cascading off the façade of the Liebian International Building is considered to be the largest man-made waterfall in the world. Falling from a height of 108 metres, these falls allegedly cost $117 to run, per hour.
Is Bahubali shoot in Kerala? ›It garnered much-deserved attention only after A-list Indian film makers shot movies here. Situated on the Chalakudy River, in the Sholayar Reserve Forest of Thrissur district in Kerala, Athirappilly Falls are 40 km from the Kochi airport and 30 km from the closest railway station in Chalakudy.
Were any animals harmed in the making of Bahubali? ›You use a lot of CGI animals, and doing that allows you to have a disclaimer at the beginning that says no animals were harmed in making this film, which is great because it means you don't actually have to have an actor throwing a leopard at somebody.
Who is the owner of Chirakkal Kalidasan? ›
Chirakkal Kalidasan is a male Asian elephant (Elephas maximus). He was brought into Kerala by Manissey Hari and was later bought by Chirakkal Madhu in the 2000s.
Is Ruby the elephant real? ›Ruby (July 13, 1973 – November 6, 1998) was a 4.5 ton African elephant who lived at the Phoenix Zoo and was famous for creating paintings. The most expensive of her paintings sold for $25,000.
Is Bahubali inspired by Hamlet? ›This movie makes people think of Shakespeare's "Hamlet": Uncle Claudius usurps the throne, the prince takes a revenge for his father, therefore, many viewers call this movies "Baahubali: The Beginning" as the Indian version of "Hamlet."
Which palace was used in Bahubali? ›The entire set of Bahubali is created with an immense budget of 60 crores spread over 100 acres of land in Ramoji Film City. It took so much hard work, time and manpower to build the kingdom of Mahishmati and the beautiful majestic creation is preserved by Ramoji Film City and turn it into a tourist attraction.
Is Bahubali based on Lion King? ›Yes, except The Lion King is a condensed version of the two parts Bahubali will be in.
What is the moral of Bahubali 2? ›Be Loyal to the Management but be honest: One and only- Katappa. He was that much loyal to his masters that he did not think twice before killing Bahubali. But when he came to know about the evil master plan of Bhalla, he did not hesitate to raise his voice and took revenge for his beloved Bahubali's death.
What can we learn from Bahubali 2? ›Lesson: No leader can ever win a battle alone, and the only way you can come out victorious is to teach your followers they could be heroes too. A true leader is one who takes his subordinate's potential and transforms it into something greater than mere talent or skill.
Who is the villain in Bahubali about? ›Bhallaladeva is a fictional character and recurring antagonist of the Baahubali franchise, and the main antagonist of the movie series. The character was created by V. Vijayendra Prasad and S. S.
Is Bahubali religious movie? ›BAAHUBALI has an abhorrent pagan, polytheistic worldview, mixed with a plot of good versus evil. The movie's violence warrants extreme caution, but the idol worship makes the movie unacceptable viewing for Christians.
Why was Bahubali killed? ›Baahubali stood against his kingdom to marry Devasena, so he left Mahishmati and seeing this as a threat, the newly appointed King Bhallaladeva wanted him dead. Kattappa killed Baahubali because it was his duty to secure the king of Mahishmati and he ia a slave of the throne as he said in Baahubali 1.
When was Baahubali the conclusion? ›
Bahubali 2: Best FICTIONAL EPIC made in Indian cinema ever - MASTERPIECE.
Who is bahubali God? ›Bahubali, also called Gommateshvara, According to the traditions of the Indian religion Jainism, the son of the first Tirthankara (literally, “ford maker,” a metaphor for saviour), Rishabhanatha. He is said to have lived many millions of years ago.
Who is the traitor in bahubali? ›Though Bhallala Deva killed the Kalakeya king Inkoshi, Baahubali was announced the next king as he showed more honour in the battle. He is envied by Bhallaladeva who manipulates Sivagami who in turn issues an order to Kattappa to execute Baahubali for treason.