“People’s expectations give us lot of energy to do better work”- director S S Rajamouli on Bahubali 2

By Subhash K. Jha -

April 22, 2017 - 10:38 AM IST

At last, the moment we've all been waiting for is finally here. What are your most immediate thoughts on the release of Bahubali 2 - The Conclusion?
I can't think of anything till the point of release. At present we are still working on getting all the VFX shots, putting everything properly and sending them out for mastering and printing. So at this point of time, I can only think of 2 days ahead, not beyond that.

“People’s expectations give us lot of energy to do better work”- director S S Rajamouli on Bahubali 2

When Bahubali - The Beginning had released a year and a half ago the audiences' expectations were far less than it is today. How do you see the mammoth responsibility that weighs on your head due to people's expectations?
People's expectations are not at all a weight. In fact, they give us lot of energy to do our work in much better way.

Bahubali - The Beginning eventually turned out to be hugely successful. To what do you attribute its staggering appeal and success?
It is very difficult to attribute the success for one single thing. I think it is the super strong characterizations and the drama among them which was told on a larger scale. On one side, we had the emotions, and on the other side we had the scale, so combined, I think it that is the most appealing thing of Bahubali.

The characters of Bahubali are now a part of every Indian moviegoer’s cultural narrative. When they were being written did you find the characters as magnetic as they eventually turned out to be?
Yes, the magnetism of the characters attracted me like never before. They had an electrifying effect on me. In fact, when the characters were narrated to me by father (writer Vijayendra Prasad), my whole driving point was that, whatever feeling I had about the characters, my audience should also feel the same way.

You've made many outstanding films before Bahubali and you will most certainly make more after. But Bahubali has become your signature film, the way Ramesh Sippy is identified with Sholay or K Asif with Mughal-e-Azam. How do you look at that kind of indelible association between you and one film?
Yes, it always feels great to be associated with a film that has impacted audiences. At present, I know my name will be associated with Bahubali, which will make me feel happy. I don't know by the end of my career which film my name will be associated. So, at present, I am very happy to be a part of Bahubali.

Coming to Bahubali 2 – The Conclusion, you've devoted , no that's a mild world, you've DEDICATED your life to creating the second part of the film....As its creator how do you compare the second part with the first?
In the first part, we have introduced the characters, we just showed the audience the taste of what's going to come next and all the drama and all the high emotional drama between the super strong characters will happen in the second film. So, that's the difference between both of them.

What should the audience expect this time? Do you see the two films as being competition for one another or do you visualize them as being complementary like the two eyes of human being?
I don’t need to tell the audience what to expect at this point of time. They have been waiting from the past two years. They have a certain picture painted in their mind how Bahubali 2 – The Conclusion is going to be. So, I think we are going to meet their expectations. And this is not a sequel where one film is different and second film is different. It is one single story told in 2 different films. Definitely, one film is a complimentary to the second one and it's not competition.

Why did Kattapa kill Bahubali? This is the question that has now become a national obsession, a part of the Indian psyche's unfulfilled folklore. How do you respond to that question when it is thrown at you by all and sundry?
So when people ask me Why did Kattappa kill Bahubali, it is just a way of fondly telling a hi, how are you, we have seen Bahubali and we have liked it very much and eagerly waiting to see Why Kattappa killed Bahubali. So, instead of talking so much, they just ask Why Kattappa Killed Bahubali. So, we always feel very happy about it because every time people keep asking that question, we have guaranteed ticket on the first day first show for Part 2.

Prabhas too has surrendered completely to Bahubali, just like you have. In retrospect how would you evaluate his contribution to your vision?
I’ve said this many times that I couldn't have made Bahubali without Prabhas' dedication. He has dedicated his 3 and half years to Bahubali. And it's not just giving dates and giving time, it is about giving your heart for the film. Since the beginning of the film, he always used to say that, we are not just making a regional film, we are not just making a national film, we are making an international film. The standards are so high, the characters are so great, and the story is so gripping. He continuously used to say that. So that gives the whole unit a lot of energy.

How much of a growth do you see in his performance since the first part?
In the first part, like I said, we have just introduced the characters. Let it be Sivudu or Amarendra Bahubali, the emotions weren't been showed in part 1. In part 2 you will be seeing more stronger emotions and varied colours of emotions played by Prabhas. And the strongest of emotions will be played in a subtle manner by Amarendra Baahubali, and which I think will also be the one of the biggest highlights of Bahubali 2 - The Conclusion.

The last five years of your life have been consumed by the Bahubali saga. Do you now long to take a break. Do you intend to take holiday with your wife and daughter?
Of course, we have been planning to take a holiday for a very long time. It will be a very long holiday.