‘Baahubali - The Epic’: What went into meticulously archiving, digitally remastering and re-editing SS Rajamouli’s duology

In its 2nd week, Baahubali: The Epic, SS Rajamouli’s digitally remastered, re-edited mentation of the Baahubaliduology films, is holding fort successful theatres. At Prasads multiplex successful Hyderabad, which boasts of a ample format PCX screen, determination is simply a clamour for seats. The astir four-hour movie was released worldwide connected October 31 to suit screenings successful aggregate formats, including cinemascope, EPIC, IMAX and Dolby Vision, to people a decennary since Baahubali: The Beginning.

Shobu Yarlagadda, who produced the Baahubali films on with Prasad Devineni, affirms that The Epic released successful astir 3000 theatres, including 400 screens successful the USA, isolated from the Gulf portion and Europe, among different locations. The Epic was designed to beryllium much than a re-release, offering audiences a seamless, full communicative successful spot of a duology.

Work came up to velocity from March 2025. Rajamouli worked with editors Tammiraju, Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao, and Vincent Tabaillon. “There were respective iterations; we had trial screenings and changes earlier The Epic was finalised,” the shaper informs.

The frenzy that the re-release would make among Indian movie goers, particularly Telugu movie lovers, was expected. The squad besides hoped to gully the attraction of planetary audiences who were charmed by RRR. Shobu affirms that isolated from the Indian diaspora, the effect has been lukewarm from the smaller conception of American audiences. The re-release has garnered astir $800,000 truthful acold and is expected to transverse the cardinal dollar mark.

Beyond the numbers, Shobu is pleased with the reception successful ample format screens including IMAX and Dolby Vision. “Baahubali 1 was changeable successful ample format but it did not merchandise successful IMAX screens. To yet spot the movie connected IMAX screens is satisfying,” helium adds.

Digital implicit film

During the making of Baahubali 1, the propulsion for shooting with integer implicit movie cameras came from cinematographer KK Senthil Kumar, Rajamouli’s long-time collaborator. As the movie grew larger than was initially intended, the squad spent implicit a twelvemonth successful pre-production and pre-visualisation. Digital filmmaking was opening to marque inroads successful Indian cinema but had not wholly replaced film. Senthil was convinced that the clip was ripe for change.

“For Magadheera, we changeable the extremity credits opus utilizing Arri’s aboriginal integer camera, Arri D20. But I was not blessed with the results. Digital was inactive evolving. So for Eega, we went backmost to movie cameras. When the mentation was connected for Baahubali, I tested Arri’s caller camera and was convinced that we should spell digital,” Senthil reminisces.

Senthil preferred integer for 2 reasons: “Many aspects are not nether the cinematographer’s power portion moving with film. Several factors travel into play portion transporting the movie antagonistic from the go-downs to the sets, loading the filmed footage into cans, transporting them to labs wherever the antagonistic is developed… It is stressful until the movie is developed and we spot the results. With digital, I felt we could beryllium remainder assured that what we sprout is what volition beryllium disposable connected screen, acknowledgment to the rapidly advancing Digital Intermediate successful station production.” 

Going integer besides helped archive and sphere the footage better. The destiny of respective older movie negatives lies successful peril owing to deficiency of due retention facilities.

On his part, Shobu and his squad ensured that each integer record of the Baahubali films — music, layers of ocular effects, dependable recordings — were catalogued and archived. “Usually the last output of a country is saved, not each furniture of ocular effects. But Shobu sir was consenting to put much and guarantee a bully retention facility. All this helped erstwhile we wanted to remaster the film.”

Senthil, successful coordination with colourist Shiva Kumar and CV Rao, CTO of Annapurna Studios, worked connected the integer remastering for 2 months. “Digital exertion has evolved since Baahubali. We wanted The Epic to look fresh. So we spent clip good tuning the colour grading. During Baahubali 1, the VFX enactment was delayed and we had precise small clip to finalise the colour grading. Whenever I re-watched the film, I would deliberation we could person done it better. Since we got this uncommon accidental to rework an older film, we gave it our best.”

Subtle enhancements

Shobu reveals that a fewer subtle VFX enhancements were besides carried out. For instance, the colour grading of Devasena’s (Anushka Shetty) constitution was retouched. “A fewer elements were added successful immoderate frames to springiness further extent to the Mahishmati kingdom. You tin besides spot much layers and extent successful the occurrence wherever Shividu (Prabhas arsenic Mahendra Baahubali) beheads Bhadra (Adivi Sesh).”

Since the movie went done re-editing, M M Keeravani’s inheritance people besides went done tweaks to support a seamless rhythm.

In hindsight, Senthil is gladsome that the archetypal movie was changeable successful specified a mode that it was compatible for IMAX projection. “On set, it progressive much effort to framework each changeable specified that each the footage had the indispensable elements for immersive movie viewing successful ample format and wide cinemascope format, which was wide prevalent connected Indian screens. Back then, lone Prasads successful Hyderabad had an IMAX screen.”

Senthil, present moving connected 2 play films — India House and Svayambhu — has not had the clip to question to different cities to ticker Baahubali: The Epic on Imax oregon Dolby Vision formats, but says helium was pleased with the output erstwhile helium worked connected the Dolby Vision format astatine Annapurna Studios.

Tech forward

Apart from filming successful digital, Baahubali’s initial dependable plan and mixing was done to befit Dolby Atmos, though lone a fewer theatres were equipped with specified dependable projection successful 2015. “Ensuring that we utilized the champion exertion disposable astatine the clip helped america remaster the movie with ease,” affirms Shobu.

In the years pursuing the occurrence of the Baahubali films, Shobu has often reflected connected what made the films endure successful corporate memory. “The characters, the story, the affectional extent and the payoffs for each tiny trait oregon determination resonated with the audiences. That emotion remains fresh, which is wherefore I deliberation radical proceed to bask the film. A batch of thought went into each aspect. The thunder of the elephantine waterfalls, for instance, was intentional. The dependable plan helped transport radical to the determination and connection a memorable theatrical viewing experience.”

Here’s a amusive fact. Did you cognize that Baahubali 2 had the 2nd highest footfall ever for an Indian film, lone aft Sholay? “Approximately 110-112 cardinal radical bought tickets and watched Baahubali 2. This grounds remains unbeaten. Other films reported 50 to 60 cardinal footfalls,” says Shobu. Clearly, the ‘Why Kattappa killed Baahubali’ curiosity origin and selling run worked.