Ever since it was launched and production began on S.S. Rajamouli’s ‘Bahubali’, about a year and a half ago, it has managed to attract media spotlight despite the fact that almost everything about it has been kept a closely-guarded secret.
With the director, producers Shobu Yarlagadda and Prasad Devineni and everyone in the cast and crew playing their cards to their chest, the media grabbed every bit they were fed - ‘officially’ and ‘off the record’.
But three days ago, the police received a complaint that a 12-minute clip was uploaded on cyberspace and began investigating.
Techies on board the production moved into emergency response and had the embarrassing link deleted.
But on Friday, reports streamed in that the police had arrested a former employee in a graphics company associated with post-production, visual and special effects (VFX & SFX) in this thus-far-most-expensive-movie-made
-in-Telugu.
Made under the Arka Mediaworks banner, ‘Bahubali’ is a period film starring Anushka, Ramya Krishna, Rana Daggubati, Prabhas, Sesh Adivi, Nasser and Satyaraj that was shot extensively in Mahabaleshwar, Bulgaria and our very own Ramoji Film City here. The bi-lingual has music composed by Keeravani and behind the camera is Director of Photography, Senthil.
When contacted, Deputy Commissioner of Police-Central Crime Station, Ravi Varma said they were investigating the matter and questioning some people. “No arrests have been made so far,” he added.
Be that as it may, going by recent precedents - including Puri Jagannadh’s ‘Cameraman Gangatho Rambabu’, people are sceptical about whether the 12-minute clip was a ‘leak’ from the production house itself or whether it was a mischievously-criminal act!