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SS Rajamouli’s directorial Baahubali 2: The Conclusion has broken all possible records at the box-office, far beyond the imagination of the biggest players in the Hindi film industry. The simplest things that were written about this Tsunami at the box office were that even three-year-old toddlers could predict this stupendous success of Baahubali 2.
It’s not that Bollywood biggies weren’t alert about this storm which has hit even the megastars of Hindi films, but the mere qualm of not being able to imagine and produce such a movie shows the bigger picture of Bollywood’s deep-seated insecurities.
No matter how much the three Khans cross promote each other’s movies, each Friday when their movie releases, the inevitable comparison between the star power of the Khans results in a bigger hoopla and debate than the content of their films. SRK is known as the marketing genius, Salman as the baap of box office, and Aamir Khan as Mr. Perfectionist (who in fact makes the most sensible and profitable movies among the three Khans, but never sees the same amount of fandom). None are known for their craft and preparation, because they are brands. Their skills are always overshadowed by their names. Not even once did we read and hear about any competition between Prabhas and Rana Daggubati (Bollywood loves comparing actors in a two hero film). The film makes them a brand, not their star power. And that’s the problem!
Even if producers find the heart to put in money for a mega budget movie like Baahubali 2, especially for Bollywood, there’ll be a massive competition between names that we can count on our fingers. The Khans, Hrithik Roshan, Amitabh Bachchan and may be a few reputed critically acclaimed actors for side roles. Heroines will be chosen as trophies to decorate frames and dance under waterfalls. The rivalry between top stars will put the movie in a mess. A live example is Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who has never managed to rope in two big names for any of his mega-budget movies.
Baahubali 2 did not need publicity. The first movie of the series was an instant hit; hit enough to confirm that footfall for the second wouldn’t be an issue. If we try to make Baahubali in Bollywood, half the audience won’t turn up because they’d be tired of watching the cast shunting from reality show to reality show.
The sheer madness of proving a point and inflated egos of big stars and producers will instigate some filmmaker to make his movie clash with this mega movie, and interestingly the other movie would be marketed as that filmmaker’s magnum opus. Only a fool would clash with Baahubali.
You might know why Kattappa killed Baahubali, but now you also know why we cannot make a Baahubali in Bollywood.
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