It's been about nine years since Rajamouli's grand period film franchise Baahubali, set in a fictional kingdom of Mahishmati, hit Indian screens and yet the fandom feels fresh; the magnificent sets, powerful story, stunning visual effects, nuanced performances and addictive songs made Rajamouli's magnum opus unforgettable.
So when Hotstar announced an animated spin-off, fans of the franchise like me were inevitably excited, especially when the story promised a surprising departure from what we've come to expect from familiar characters: Katappa, the sworn loyal guard of the Mahishmati kingdom serving the royal family all his life, he chooses to fight against the kingdom and face the two princes on the battlefield, which he himself had trained.
The original actors from the films have reprized their roles, lending their recognizable voices to similar impact. For the Hindi version, the makers have cast Sharad Kelkar for Baahubali, Samay Thakkar for Kattappa, Mausam for Sivagami and Manoj Pandey for Bhalladeva. For the Telugu version, Prabhas and Rana Daggubati have lent their voices.
Although the creators had the power to bank on an already established blockbuster, the animated series is a toned down and watered down version of the franchise, seemingly tailored for young audiences.
The series is set long before the heir to the throne is chosen, when Prince Bhallaldeva was envious of the love Prince Baahubali received from the citizens of Mahishmati and was unsure of losing the throne to him. However, when a new threat to the kingdom emerges in the form of a masked villain, and of course Kattappa, the two half-brothers are forced to unite for the sake of Mahishmati.
Although the original Baahubali films also explored similar story arcs, like the Kalakeya attack, they were grandiose and kept the audience on their toes. The series, however, feels more like a simplified Amar Chitra Katha version of these stories, with the film's morally gray treatment of the characters and emotional complexities nowhere to be found. It seems that the creators were hesitant to add depth to the story to avoid making the series too complicated for its intended audience. Likewise, while the whole premise of the series is based on suspense, the thrill and excitement of what might come next is served sporadically. Even with its beloved characters and familiar storylines, the show lacks consistency and somehow fails to keep you hooked.
The series is a prequel to the Baahubali films
What struck me the most was the commitment to the seriousness of Baahubali's character, which forms the backbone of the franchise. In certain scenes, he appears as a helpless character in Panchatantra, running after people trying to teach them right and wrong, who can be admonished by anyone. Even her mother Sivagami, because of this, seems detached from Ramya Krishnan's iconic portrayal and is more inclined towards the evil side. In one scene, he is seen convincing his son to ignore his promise to the slaves and focus more on his royal duties; umm what Or maybe Rajamouli has tried to insinuate that Sivagami always had a hidden evil side, and the way he treated Baahubali's wife Devasena in the films was not just an isolated incident!
The show, however, has brilliantly captured the cunning of Bijjaladeva's character. He's still the disgusting scoundrel he was in the movies. He still poisons his son's thoughts and is cruel, heartless and selfish to the core. In fact, one of the main premises of the series revolves around the corrupt nature of Bijjaladeva, who invites bad luck to the entire clan.
Technically, the animations are quite good and all the characters bear a striking resemblance to the original star cast. The animators have also experimented with each character having a different edge, or sunlight and even moonlight, in some scenes.
If only the same could be said for cartoon backgrounds. Except for some impressive sequences of the royal palace, the screen is filled with boring backgrounds. In some of the scenes set within the royal courtyard, the emptiness exudes strangeness rather than a regal aesthetic. The show could have easily won a few more brownie points with more detailed animation work beyond the characters.
Given that the pool of good Indian animated shows is already pretty shallow, I was counting heavily on Rajamouli's latest effort. Although he has collaborated with the makers of Legend of Hanuman on Hotstar, a popular series based on the Hindu god, Baahubali pales in comparison to the makers' previous work in various areas. If the makers' intention was to introduce children to Indian superheroes, Rajamouli should have invested more in researching how to beat their western competitors. But it may be too high a bar to clear. Baahubali: Crown of Blood might not live up to the standards of Rajamouli's best work, but it might add some variety to the kids' watch list.
