Baahubali: The Beginning Review - Epic Visual Spectacle

We begin with Sivagami as a young girl-vengeful, sharp-eyed, and already carrying the weight of a fractured kingdom. The film traces her evolution from a scrappy survivor bent on revenge to the iron-willed queen we remember from Baahubali: The Beginning. The narrative weaves through palace intrigue, betrayal, and the kind of political scheming that makes Game of Thrones look like a polite dinner party. Along the way, we see Mahishmati grow from a vulnerable city-state into a fearsome empire no one dares to challenge. The script doesn’t spoon-feed you-it trusts you to keep up with shifting alliances, hidden agendas, and the occasional jaw-dropping twist.

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Director S.S. Rajamouli returns with a visual spectacle that makes the original films look like they were shot on a phone. Every frame drips with gold, blood, and sweat. The battle sequences? Monumental. The elephants are CGI perfection, the sword fights are bone-crunching, and there’s a single-take tracking shot through a burning palace that will have you gripping your armrest. But here’s the real win: this is Sivagami’s movie, and she owns every second.

The lead actress (whose name we’re still chasing) delivers a performance that’s equal parts feral and regal. She doesn’t just act-she commands. When she glares, you flinch. When she weeps, you feel it in your chest. Her chemistry with the supporting cast-especially a young, idealistic general who becomes her closest ally-adds layers of warmth and tragedy to the political chaos.

That said, the film isn’t flawless. The first act drags slightly, spending a bit too much time on childhood backstory when we’re ready for the queen to rise. And some of the CGI backgrounds (particularly in the early mountain village sequences) feel flat compared to the jaw-dropping practical sets of the later palace scenes. The score, while bombastic in all the right ways, occasionally overwhelms quieter dialogue-you’ll miss a few lines if you’re not paying razor attention.

But when it clicks? Oh, it clicks. There’s a mid-film sequence where Sivagami walks through a hall of defeated enemies, barefoot and unarmed, that’s pure cinematic poetry. And the final 30 minutes? A rollercoaster of action, emotion, and one absolute gut-punch of a twist that re-contextualizes everything you thought you knew about Mahishmati.

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Pros

• Sivagami’s origin is deeply compelling, giving a legendary character real emotional weight
• Stunning production design-the palaces, costumes, and war elephants are next-level
• Action choreography that mixes Rajamouli’s signature over-the-top style with visceral grit
• A soundtrack that will live in your head rent-free for weeks
• One of the best villain performances in recent Indian cinema (no spoilers)

Cons

• Slow first half that could use tighter editing
• Occasional CGI inconsistencies, especially in early outdoor scenes
• Some supporting characters feel underdeveloped, especially the male romantic interest
• The 2-hour-45-minute runtime is a commitment-pack snacks

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8.2/10 - A must-watch for fans of the franchise, but a slow-burn opener might lose casual viewers.

Bāhubali: The Epic isn’t perfect. It’s sprawling, ambitious, and sometimes messy in the way that only truly grand storytelling can be. But when it lands-and it lands hard-it reminds you why Rajamouli is a master of the modern epic. Sivagami’s journey from vengeful girl to wise queen is a story worth telling, and this film tells it with fire, heart, and more than a few tears.

Go for the spectacle. Stay for the queen. And brace yourself for that final scene-it’ll make you want to rewatch the entire franchise from scratch.

MovieBuzz News recommends: See it in IMAX or a premium large format screen. Trust us, you’ll want those war elephants to shake your seat.