At the end of nearly three hours, I can tell you that the second part is not half as satisfying or fun as the original. The first time around the hijinks that Rajamouli created were astonishing, both in terms of scale and setting and story telling. . But what took our breath away in 2015 is same old in 2017. Only in some places when the battle scenes and the fighting is choreographed beautifully and with great energy do you sit up and watch with interest. As we know from the first part, Bahubali is the good guy, the rightful heir to the throne, and will save his kingdom from the evil Bhallala, come what may. He plays Bahubali, he of great strength, with as much verve and vigour as in the first part.
The clash between Bahubali Prabhas and Bhallala Rana Dagubatti is the fulcrum around which the film revolves. And it feels much louder. Not just the background music but the pitch at which the declamatory dialogues are delivered is deafening: there were times I felt like closing my ears. I enjoyed the first part enormously. I was blown away by the sheer confidence and the conviction of the film-making. Yes, it is bigger, but it is not better. The regal queen Sivagami Ramya is as commanding as ever, presiding over the fate of the two men, as well as the fiery princess Devasena Anushka Shetty.
And the reason is clear: Sequelitis. Baahubali The Conclusion comes to life only intermittently. A couple of times you laugh out loud in appreciation at the sheer spectacle: thousands upon thousands of soldiers, a vista that fills the eye and more, and a hero cleaving through, his eye on the win. Smart viewers would probably have guessed the answer, but given that Baahubali 2 was made expressly for that purpose, we duly give it our time and attention. .
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