Baahubali-A lavish, vacuous visual spectacle
Rajamouli’s Baahubali is a trite and tiring triumph of technology. Like his earlier film Eega, computer graphics take the cake. Lavishly mounted, the ambitious film is a visual spectacle. But the film per se is as vacuous as it can be. Melding mythology, folklore, palace intrigues, royal and sibling rivalries, Baahubali is a mishmash of high-octane heroics and mushy, mundane romance. So blinded Rajamouli is by the marvels of technology and the resultant special effects, that he lets the film’s basic pith, plausible plot, as also script which gives life to it, simply hit the pits. Awash with glitzy technological finesse, the film turns out to be an exercise in futility whose slow pace sends one snoozing. If only the same money and resources were put to better use to narrate a nifty and neat engaging tale.
Set against rocky mountains with waterfalls, gushing rivers amidst verdant valleys as backdrop, the film weaves a wondrous tale of valiant gladiator impetuous prince with herculean prowess. Baahubali divides into two perfect halves. The first speaks of Sivadu, raised by tribals, yearning to discover the yonder beyond the mountains. One such sojourn has him smitten by ethereal beauty Avanthika. Even as the cupid strikes against the surreal setting, love takes a backseat as Avanthika has chores to perform. That of rescuing Devasena, enchained by cruel and demonic Bhalladeva who has usurped her Mahimati kingdom.
But with hulky Sivadu beside her, she need not worry. The second half is about who Sivadu actually is. He is, in fact, the royal scion Baahubali born to sister of Sivagami ruling queen, who anoints him reigning Prince than her own son Bhalladeva. The second half is just a series of battle royale and how the two brothers join forces to defeat the enemy and stake their claim to the throne and impress the Queen Mother. Prabhas towers tall in the titanic role as Sivadu and Baahubali with his six-pack physique. Tamannaah and Anushka Shetty are pretty maidens providing him and the audience necessary diversions with songs and dances. Sabu Cyril’s art work is sumptuously enchanting as is the choreography by Peter Heins, especially of fight sequences.
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