Acclaimed film-maker S. S. Rajamouli is quite candid just as the films he makes.
He openly admits that Hollywood flicks such as Ben-Hur and Gladiator have hugely impacted him and his creativity. The hit-maker seemed least irked when asked whether his multi-lingual magnum opus Bahubali-The Beginning had striking similarities with director Zack Snyder’s Hollywood epic drama 300 .
“I spent years and years of my life thinking about the characters in these movies. Yes, there will be an influence on me. But I do not think they have a direct influence on Bahubali . While we are shooting battle sequences of that scale, there are bound to be similarities,” said Rajamouli, who was in town to promote Bahubali-The Beginning here on Saturday.
Projected as the most expensive Indian film ever made (at an approximate Rs. 250-crore budget), Bahubali , starring Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Anushka Shetty and Tamannaah, will release in two parts, and simultaneously in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi and Malayalam. “The first part is Bahubali-The Beginning and the second is Bahubali-The Conclusion . The first part will release on July 10. We plan to release the second part, the shooting of which is not yet complete, by next year,” Rajamouli said.
Actor Prabhas, who plays the title role, said being part of the film was an overwhelming experience. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I climbed rocks, did martial arts, sword fighting and horse riding. You can never do a film like this again,” he said. Rana Daggubatti, who clarified that he is a Telugu actor and not a Hindi actor, said that no one would say no when a filmmaker like Rajamouli gave them a role of a lifetime.
Renowned production designer Sabu Cyril said he had spent more than two-and-a-half years working for Bahubali . “Rajamouli had a vision and my job was to make it true. I really enjoyed the film. Every day was an experience,” he said. Actors Tamannaah and Anushka said the movie gifted them with the best roles of their career.
