'We know what we've created'

The second part of Baahubali that has just released is set to break various records. “Every single show for the next four days is full,” informs one of the staff in a leading multiplex chain in Delhi. In Mumbai, the advance booking queues are humongous.

In Patna, in a leading business family of Bihar’s capital, the daughter-in-law had even delayed her caesarean child-birth by a day! “I was very clear that I will check in to the hospital for my baby’s birth only after I know why Kattapa killed Baahubali,” says Swati Patwari.

Baahubali’s writer, K. Vijayendra Prasad, who is director S.S. Rajamouli’s father, says there are many such ‘Baahubali legends’.

Baahubali’s writer, K. Vijayendra Prasad, who is director S.S. Rajamouli’s father, says there are many such ‘Baahubali legends’. “My favourite is a leave application doing the rounds on WhatsApp, which has people taking Friday off. The official reason given is, ‘To know why Kattapa killed Baahubali’. There are so many such stories that I hear everywhere.”

Fans celebrate by playing drums before the premiere show in Hyderabad

Does the audiences’ expectations scare him and his son? “Not at all! Because we know we’ve lived up to people’s expectations. You see, when the first part of Baahubali released two years ago, it was like nothing that the audiences had seen. My inspiration for Baahubali is the Mahabharat. But my interpretation of the conflicts are entirely my own.What people saw in the first part was the inspiration. Now they’ll see the actual drama that binds the popular characters,” he says adding, “The first was the trailer. Now comes the real film. It’s not just the “famous” question that controls audiences’ expectations. It’s the entire bouquet of characterisations, landscape and storytelling.”

Pranathi, Regina, Adivi, Lakshmi, Rakul, Sushant and Ch Singh catch the first show of the movie dressed in Baahubali tshirts

Vijayendra admits that ending the first part with the million-dollar question on Kattapa was a masterstroke. “We knew it would generate curiosity. But we never thought it would become such a talking-point across the nation. For two years, people have been discussing this. It is unheard of. But, we know what we have created.”

Fans pour milk on Prabhas’ cut-out

So, you mean history? “Not for me to say. But you are welcome to say it,” quips the veteran, who has written most of his son Rajamouli’s films.

With Rajamouli taking a long vacation now that Baahubali 2 has released, what about his dad? “I go right back to work. For me, my work is my holiday,” says the Baahubali writer on a parting note.