Director S.S. Rajamouli’s Baahu-bali: The Beginning, which was released in as many as 4,000 screens worldwide, is said to have taken the box office by storm.
Touted to have been made with a budget of Rs 250 crore, we hear that the film collected anywhere between Rs 60 crore and Rs 70 crore on the first day of its worldwide release, and the collection is expected to touch Rs 100 crore in the coming days.
According to sources, the film has set the record for biggest ever opening for an Indian film, pushing aside Bollywood films like Dhoom 3 and Happy New Year.
Controversy
After the movie’s worldwide release, Baahubali is running headlong into another hurdle with the new accusations of art director Manu Jagath.
Manu Jagath, who has previously worked in films like Calcutta News, claims that he is the real art director behind the period sets of the epic film and was cheated out of the title in the credits of the film.
The credits mention only prominent art director Sabu Cyril. However, Manu Jagath claims that, Sabu Cyril was only the production controller for the film.
Manu Jagath had been previously posting concept art sketches of the sets during each phase of the film as a promotional effort.
The dejected art director recently posted a sketch with the word “got cheated” boldly written over it in red as a cover photo to protest his omission from the art director’s credit.
Here’s what the veterans had to say about Baahubali
Actor Nagarjuna: Spectacular and dreams-come-alive visuals in Baahubali. We salute you, Rajamouli.
Ram Gopal Varma: There are films and films and films and films and films and films and films and films and films and films and then there’s Baahubali.
Shekhar Kapur: Filmmakers from South India are showing far more courage than the North. Where are the courageous filmmakers like S.S. Rajamouli in Mumbai? (sic)
Actor-producer Santhanam: Hats off, Rajamouli sir. The best movie in India so far; from the best director.
