Rating: ***1/2

Film: “Baahubali 2: The Conclusion”; Director: S. S. Rajamouli; Cast: Prabhas Raju, Rana Daggubati, Ramya Krishnan, Anushka Shetty, Tamannaah Bhatia, Nasser, Charandeep, Satya Raj, Prabhakar, Rakesh Varre, Rohini, Tanikella Bharani, Teja Kakumanu

Why did Kattapa kill Baahubali? This perennial question that haunted those who have seen “Baahubali: The Beginning” will now be rested. Director S.S. Rajamouli does answer this question and offers much more in “Baahubali 2: The Conclusion”, which is an action-packed revenge drama.

For the uninitiated, Baahubali is the story of an orphan prince Amarendra Baahubali and his son Mahendra Baahubali in the Kingdom of Maheshmati. While the first edition concentrated on Amarendra being unaware of his identity, the Conclusion takes off from where the first part ended and delves deeper into the life of Amarendra Baahubali, the father of Mahendra Baahubali the child who was dramatically saved in the opening shots of the earlier film.

Narrated in a melodramatic manner with surreal action sequences and epic battle scenes along with plenty of dilemmas and betrayals, it is Amarendra’s tale that is interestingly gripping as it answers the question of why Kattapa killed Baahubali.

The final act of The Conclusion, which concentrates on Mahendra’s story seems like a rushed job. And with a run time of 167 minutes, the film eventually seems to drag.

On the performance front, with dramatic lines and over-the-top acts, every actor performs his part earnestly. With an imposing, yet tender personality, Sathyaraj as Kattapa, the loyal warrior, is impressive. Prabhas Raju in a dual role is charming as Amarendra and sincere as Mahendra Baahubali.

‘Baahubali 2′ trailer leaked due to bug in Facebook: Rajamouli
Baahubali 2 – The Conclusion Trailer | Prabhas, Rana Daggubati | SS Rajamouli

Rana Daggubati excels as the vicious Bhalladeva. But it is Nassar as the scheming Bijjala Deva, father of Bhalladeva, who steals the thunder from Rana.

Ramya Krishnan as the Rajmata Sivagami along with Anushka Shetty as Devasena — Amarendra’s wife — offer a stimulating performance. Tamannaah Bhatia as Avantika, Mahendra’s love interest, in a miniscule role has nothing much to offer.

On the technical front, like its prequel, this film too is at par with any big ticket Hollywood caper, in terms of its mounting. Visually the film is colossal and monumentally spectacular. In fact, it is a bit better than the previous edition in terms of VFX effects and sharper edits. The action sequences too are artistically and aesthetically choreographed. The music and background score by MM Kreem add to the cinematic experience.

Unfortunately the dubbing in Hindi is not up to the mark.

Overall, this concluding part of Baahubali will appeal to you, irrespective of whether you have seen The Beginning.

By Troy Ribeiro
IANS

In just 24 hours since its release, the highly anticipated trailer of “Baahubali 2: The Conclusion” has clocked a whopping 50 million views across four languages and has become the most viewed Indian film trailer.
Filmmaker Karan Johar, who is releasing the Hindi version of the film, tweeted on Friday: “Truly the biggest trailer ever. 50 million views. ‘Baahubali 2’ trailer.”

On Thursday, despite an early leak, the film’s trailer was released in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi and Malayalam. In no time, the trailers became viral online.

Directed by S.S. Rajamouli, the second part of the franchise will finally shed the light on why Kattappa killed Baahubali.

Starring Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Tamannaah Bhatia, Anushka Shetty, Ramya Krishnan and Sathyaraj, the film will release worldwide on April 28.

–IANS

‘Baahubali 2′ trailer leaked due to bug in Facebook: Rajamouli

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Filmmaker S.S. Rajamouli on Thursday said the unfortunate leak of the trailer of his upcoming magnum opus “Baahubali 2: The Conclusion” happened due to a “bug in Facebook”.

Talking to the media here at the trailer launch on Thursday, Rajamouli said the trailer leak happened due to a bug in Facebook. He did not elaborate on it any further.

Baahubali 2 – The Conclusion Trailer | Prabhas, Rana Daggubati | SS Rajamouli

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“Piracy is different, and a leak is totally different. We are still trying to find out how the trailer leak happened. It is very irritating for the entire team but we can’t blame anyone without knowing everything about the leak,” Rajamouli said.

The trailer was supposed to be launched at 5 p.m. on Thursday. However, following a leak of the Tamil version of the trailer, the makers were forced to release the trailer of all the versions online.

Talking about the second part of the franchise, he said: “Unlike the first part, which was low on emotions and high on grandeur, the second part will have both factors in equal proportion.”

Rajamouli said he was tense while working on the trailer, but the output is satisfactory.

“When I saw the trailer with Keeravani’s background score, the output was beyond my expectations,” he said.

The film starring Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Anushka Shetty, Tamannaah Bhatia, Ramya Krishnan and Sathyaraj is due for release on April 28.

IANS

Cinematographer K.K. Senthil Kumar on Thursday confirmed that work on the trailer of the highly anticipated Telugu historic drama “Baahubali: The Conclusion” aka “Baahubali 2” is underway and it can be expected soon.
“At Annapurna Studios working on the trailer of ‘Baahubali 2’. Making sure everything is fine with the screen calibration, with CV Rao and Shivakumar,” Senthil Kumar tweeted.

This is Kumar’s seventh collaboration with S.S. Rajamouli. They had previously worked together in “Yamadonga”, “Magadheera” and “Eega”.

Slated for release on April 28, “Baahubali 2” stars Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Anushka Shetty, Tamannaah Bhatia, Ramya Krishnan and Sathyaraj.

–IANS

Actress Tamannaah Bhatia says the most unexpected thing of her decade-long career so far has been being part of S.S Rajamouli’s magnum opus “Baahubali: The Beginning”.

“It came to me when I was going through the lowest lows of my career. After a series of failures, to be part of a project like ‘Baahubali: The Beginning’ is dream-like, and it’s easily the most unexpected thing of my career,”.

In the first part of “Baahubali”, she played a rebellious warrior, Avantika. She says she has an even better role in the second installment of the franchise.

Also Read : First look of Baahubali 2 unvelied

“It’s a really good role. We still have some minor portion to shoot which will be wrapped up in December,” she said, adding she’d do anything to be part of such a proud project.

“I would die and even kill if required to be part of ‘Baahubali’,” she quipped.

Tamannaah, who has had three back-to-back hits in 2016, is gearing up to reprise Kangana Ranaut’s role in the yet-untitled Tamil remake of “Queen”.

IANS

The motion poster of S.S. Rajamouli’s “Baahubali 2: The Conclusion” made a thunderous debut on Saturday at the ongoing Jio MAMI 18th Mumbai Film Festival with Star.

The first look of the much-awaited film was unveiled in the presence of its team, including director Rajamouli, actor Prabhas and actresses Tamannaah Bhatia and Anushka Shetty.

Before releasing the motion poster, the director called it a birthday gift to Prabhas.

In the poster, with rain and thunder in the background, an intense-looking Prabhas is seen flaunting his abs, with a chain wrapped around one arm and a sword in the other.

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The “Baahubali” team also launched the teaser to a virtual reality spin-off film, set around the world of Baahubali and gave the audience a sneak peek into a game and a comic, based on the epic franchise.

The festival attendees got to try out the VR (virtual reality) gear and a chance to get transported to the Baahubali world.

(With IANS Inputs)

“Tutak Tutak Tutiya” is designed as a grand farce where everyone gets to have a wish come true. Prabhudheva gets to try out his doddering comic timing in scenes that are written in mock-horrific loops. And goodness, what is that thick Tamilian accent doing in the Hindi version of a film that has a Telugu and Tamil version?

Farah Khan who thinks she can act gets to play dance-show judge. It’s like Arnab Goswami playing a new anchor. Then there is Sonu Sood who gets to play Superstar Raj Khanna.

This is a film that will give you sleepless nights for days to come…That’s after you come out of a daze brought on by Tamannaah as she transforms from a devoted domesticated housewife into a slithering hip-shaking lip-pouting diva star as Ruby.

Please note. Good girls wear saris, stay at home to look after their husband’s home while he goes out to flirt with women in skirts pretending to be a bachelor . Tammannah who is a competent performer goes from dazed housewife to dazzling film star with as much enthusiasm as a cook moving from brinjal curry to dahi vada.

For some strange reason she is repeatedly shown in a state of just-had-bath with a towel tied around her hair.

Prabhudheva who is a devastating dancer is here cast as a selfish, uncaring husband. He is an office goer who gives his biodata to every single girl hoping she would become his girlfriend. The man is a borderline stalker in this monstrously improper comedy-horror. Prabhudheva is shown bullying, slapping, heckling and haranguing women including his wife. It’s a bloody embarrassment for the actor and he looks as though he was being forced to keep a dentist’s appointment which he would rather skip.

Also Read : Nothing more exciting than working with Prabhudheva: Tamannaah

A broad crass comedy may work if the actors believe in the material, no matter how outrageous it may be. Here in the film, the performers go through the motions as though stuck in the loo with constipation. The odds of their conquering the inertia that is so clearly mapped on their faces remains at the most, bleak.

There is very little in this film to brighten up the proceedings. Unless those rumbustious Bhangra numbers put a beat in your feet. Two of them feature Esha Gupta and Amy Jackson. But don’t get your hopes too high. Amy doesn’t even dance. She just stands around looking bored watching others shake a leg. This was where I could identify with a character’s emotion.

Stay away from this dead meat posing as freshly baked barbecue. Revenge they say, is best served cold. The film serves it piping hot. We, and poor Prabhudheva, must have done something terribly wrong to deserve this.

Film: ‘Tutak Tutak Tutiya’; Director: Vijay; Starring: Prabhudheva, Sonu Sood, Tamannaah Bhatia; Rating:*

IANS

Actress Tamannaah Bhatia, who is gearing up for the release of upcoming trilingual horror-comedy “Devi”, says nothing could excite her more than the opportunity to share screen space with actor-filmmaker Prabhudheva. “When director Vijay told me that Prabhudheva will be playing the lead, I was filled with joy and nothing could have excited me more. I had always idolized him and had even performed at a tribute show for him. I had always wanted to meet him,” Tamannaah. In the film, Tamannaah plays a dual role of a simple housewife and of an actress.
“It’s a film that holds a lot of responsibility and excitement. I’m playing the titular role for the first time in my career and that makes everything even more special,” she said.

Directed by Vijay, the film releases worldwide on October 7, as “Abhinetri” in Telugu and as “Tutak Tutak Tutiya” in Hindi.

Watch Tutak Tutak Tutiya Trailer
Talking about her solo number “Gokka Makka”, which has already given audiences a glimpse of Tamannaah’s stunning moves, she said it’s very close to her heart. “It took us 15 days to rehearse the song, and followed by two more days of shoot. By the time we finished shooting, I became emotional,” she recalled.

The film is Tamannaah’s first trilingual, and it was wrapped up in 58 days.

“It’s not a joke to complete a trilingual film in 58 days. The credit goes to my director and the producers who ensured everything was well planned and executed. There are three producers and each one of them was so involved,” she said.
The film also stars Sonu Sood, who had produced the Hindi version.