The significance of Sivagami touching Devasena’s feet in Baahubali 2 and SS Rajamouli’s deft handling of complex female relationships

Sivagami, with her blood soaked hands, touches the feet of Devasena after Baahubali is murdered by Kattappa. That scene needs to be understood better

By: Shalini Ojha |
May 18, 2017 9:57 am

What SS Rajamouli has given us through Baahubali, apart from on screen grandeur and all the opulence, is the celebration of strong women characters. Whether feminists agree or not, Baahubali has indeed contributed two of the strongest female characters in the history of Indian cinema. Not reducing them to mere spectators when the biggest drama was unfolding, Rajamouli gave Sivagami and Devasena roles to be a part of the power tussle.

What stands out in the sequel, which is largely a story of revenge between Baahubali and Bhallala Deva, is the coldness between Sivagami and Devasena. The queen mother of Mahishmati cannot stand a woman speaking to her in an authoritarian voice. She thinks of Devasena as naive and someone who would bring doom to the prosperous kingdom. However, as the story of Baahubali: The Conclusion catches pace, it is proved that it isn’t Devasena who was foolish but Sivagami who was stupid enough to not look through her son Bhallala Deva’s ill intentions. On realising the havoc she had wreaked upon the kingdom, Sivagami does something that is not necessary at all, considering the kind of respect people have for her in the kingdom.

With her blood soaked hands, Sivagami touches the feet of Devasena and tells her that she is great. She says: “Baahubali ki mahanta ko samajh kar tum aakash se bhi unchi ho gai…” (Because you understood Baahubali’s eminence, your stature today is even above the sky).

Also read: Neither Devasena nor Sivagami, this woman had the maximum affection for Baahubali in both parts

Sivagami could have just apologized and Devasena being the one with bigger heart, could have forgiven her. But Rajmata decides to make a point by touching her daughter-in-law’s feet. This striking scene speaks much more than what one may decipher. It is not only about Sivagami realising her sins and Devasena showing her benevolence. In the larger picture, this scene talks about the judgments of the older generation. Quite conveniently they dis the thoughts of the younger clan thinking them to be hollow. Sivagami’s calling Devasena an arrogant princess in front of the citizenry of Mahishmati reflects her inability to give space and voice to new generation and new thoughts.

But, when it came to own to her mistakes, even if that meant bowing down in front of someone too young, Sivagami didn’t shy away. In fact, the epic scene also talks about a woman to woman relationship. Realising her mistake, Sivagami did not think about her stature and did what she had to. And it takes a woman of substance to do that.

With that scene, Rajamouli has not only made Devasena great but redeemed the almost fallen character of Sivagami.

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