Baahubali 2 is grand, enormously beautiful and completely engaging. Yes, it also is worth the wait and the buzz that it created post the release of Baahubali: The Beginning. But, what is also quite interesting about this SS Rajamouli magnum opus is its characterisation.
Baahubali: The Conclusion mainly boasts of five prominent characters, Bhallala Deva (Rana Daggubati), Amrendra Baahubali (Prabhas), Devasena (Anushka Shetty), Sivagami (Ramya Krishnan) and Kattappa (Sathyaraj). While the strength and the valour that the roles of Prabhas and Rana show are quite evident in all the promos, what surprises is the beauty with which the female characters in the film have been designed.
Devasena
We knew that Baahubali 2 is going to be an elaborated saga on the romance of Baahubali and Devasena. But, we didn’t know that Devasena and Sivagami will emerge as the real heroes of the film. When Rajamouli shapes a man called Baahubali who is the God for his people, he also designs a Devasena who is a woman of her pride — rights and strength. She’s a warrior and no, her success is not seen in the scenes where she fearlessly combats an army of dacoits but when she cuts the fingers of the one trying to molest the women in her kingdom. Devasena is also a woman who is mindful of who she chooses to marry and will never fear to rebel. No amount of wealth, power can allure her to do something that she doesn’t fall for. What’s more? She’s ethereally beautiful and immensely self-confident. Just before the scene when she discovers who Amrendra Baahubali actually is, she goes on a killing spree with Baahubali and her action sequence seems like a perfectly choreographed dance scene.
Also read: Why Rana Daggubati’s Bhallala Deva is the real but misunderstood hero of Baahubali
Sivagami
Another pivotal character in the film, Sivagami is the woman for whom, her ‘Vachan is her Shaasan.’ Basically, the queen of the kingdom of Mahishmati is not just a strong-headed woman but also a person who will not shy away from bowing down to apologise if she’s guilty. And that’s how the real strong people are like. Sivagami makes decisions but she also has the courage to repair the damage that her decisions have made. Even if it means folding hands in front of the one who’s younger or somebody who she never thought very high of.
Also read: Kattappa is to Baahubali what Bhishma was to Mahabharata. Here’s why
Women of substance
What also makes these two women the characters to watch out for in the film is how they care for the other women around. Any successful or powerful woman is not fully successful or powerful if she hasn’t pull-up another woman to make her grow in life. Both Sivagami and Devasena are the women who are just not self-sufficient for themselves but also strongly believe in the rights of other women, whether she’s a poor labour or any other royal beauty like them. Sivagami’s teachings to Baahubali also give us a hint into the same. There’s a scene in the film which shows a young Sivagami making both Baahubali and Bhallala Deva learn how to respect women. In fact, as part of a very crucial scene, during an argument between Sivagami and Amrendra Baahubali, the man himself reminds the queen of her teachings and says:
Aurat par haath dalne vale ki ungliyan nahi kaatte, gala kaatte hain…
Why Rajamouli should be credited
Rajamouli’s way of storytelling seems completely inspired from Mahabharata and Ramayana. Baahubali 2 is just not a film which shows the grandeur of Indian cinema at its best but also shows the imagination of a filmmaker at his creative best. From visualising the romance between Devasena and Baahubali to making the epic scene of Kattappa killing Baahubali bigger than the film itself, Rajamouli has done everything that a great storyteller would do while narrating how opulence looks like on big screen.
Take a bow, Mr SS Rajamouli. Your film is an experience of its kind and now grand has got a new synonym in Baahubali.
Also read: Baahubali 2 LIVE movie review: This gem by SS Rajamouli doesn’t deserve a miss
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