Baahubali: The Beginning (2015), an epic historical fictional drama, got both love and applause from audience. The excitement of such a success is now expected from its sequel, Baahubali: The Conclusion, releasing on April 28, 2017. Today, in Mumbai, at the film’s trailer launch event, director SS Rajamouli, film’s stars Prabhas and Rana Daggubati, presenter of the film’s Hindi version Karan Johar and Anil Thadani of AA Films were present. Rajamouli made an important announcement on turning Baahubali into a franchise, during an interaction with the media.
Watch: Baahubali 2 trailer
He said, “Baahubali is going to be a franchise. But Baahubali, the film will only be part one and two. Don’t want to kill a golden goose just because I want to make money. Just because we have a market, I don’t want to sell the film’s soul. We are going to continue the world of Baahubaali in different mediums like comics, novel, virtual reality films etc. so that the fans can enjoy stories.”
Rajamouli also spoke on how there were a few improvements in filming the action sequences for Baahubali 2. He said, “The film is a continuation of the first film. I have just ‘upped’ the effects and action sequences, the story is not re-touched. “We just split the story into two films because the story was big (length wise). It was not the idea to start a franchise. The story should have the power to drive us to create a market, it shouldn’t be the other way round. If we will go for a sequel or create a franchise without a good story, it will not last longer.” For people who haven’t experienced the grandeur of Baahubali, there’s good news. Rajamouli and Thadani said, “We are releasing Baahubali again one or two weeks before releasing Baahubali 2, so people can understand the story well.”
When Rajamouli was asked why Kattappa killed Baahubali, and how he reacted to the trolls that flooded social media after Baahubali, he reacted by saying, “I believe that the trolling my film receives is directly proportionate to the love my film has got. I am very sure that the film will make a grand first day, first show opening.”
See a few pics from the Baahubali 2 trailer launch:
Here is the update from Baahubali 2 trailer launch event with SS Rajamouli, Karan Johar, Prabhas and Rana Daggubati in attendance.
5.33 pm: Baahubali 2 team gifted a sword to Karan Johar and he said, “This is the best gift for my kids.”
5.30 pm: Karan Johar on becoming a father, “I am doing very well, my kids are doing well too.”
5.28 pm: SS Rajamouli on Baahubali 2 trailer online leak, “There was a technical glitch, not a leak.”
5.22 pm: Rana Daggubati and Prabhas on their physique in Baahubali 2, “Nothing is computer generated. We have worked for five years for this.”
5.20 pm: Prabhas on experience while shooting action scenes and not breaking bones in the second film, “Rajamouli made sure I was safe. The second film was better made than the first.”
5.15 pm: What is the difference between Baahubali and Baahubali 2? SS Rajamouli says, “The film is a continuation of the first film. I have just upped the effects and action sequences, the story is the not re-touched.”
5.13 pm: Karan Johar said, “This is the biggest movie event in my 25-year career .”
5.10 pm: SS Rajamouli on why Anushka Shetty, Tamannah Bhatia are not present at the trailer launch, “They are both busy and I wanted to keep people curious.”
5.02 pm: Baahubali is not going to be a franchise, says Rajamouli. “Baahubali film will only be part one and two. Don’t want to kill a golden choose just because I want to make money,” said the director.
4.58 pm: The kind of goosebumps the Shivalinga scene had given in Baahubali, I wanted that kind of reaction in Baahubali 2 too, hence the introduction scene on elephant, says Rajamouli.
4.54 pm: Rana and Prabhas on their physique in Baahubali 2: It is not computer generated. We have worked for 5 years for these films.
4.50 pm: Did Karan Johar give inputs for Baahubali and Baahubali 2? The filmmaker says, “Have you watched the kind of films I make, I can never give inputs for such a huge film. I am associated with this film, that is enough.”
Baahubali 2 trailer landed on our screens in the morning. The SS Rajamouli epic, Baahubali: The Conclusion, will release on April 28 but the interest in the film is sky high. From Prabhas’ Baahubali and Rana Daggubati’s Bhallaladeva’s battle unto death to that all-important and really annoying question, why Kattappa killed Baahubali, this film is supposed to have it all.
While the trailer was released in the morning, an official trailer launch is on in Mumbai in the presence of film’s director SS Rajamouli, actors Prabhas and Rana Daggubati and Karan johar who is presenting the film. After being a part of film’s trailer launch in Andhra Pradesh — where the trailers were shown on 300 screens — the team is in Mumbai to answer all the questions sans one, why did Kattappa do what he did.
A sequel to 2015’s Baahubali, Baahubali: The Conclusion stars Prabhas, Rana, Tamannaah Bhatia, Anushka Shetty and Sathyaraj. The trailer has got record views and trended worldwide. It also marks a grander return of the film which changed the rules of Indian filmmaking.
