Bahubali 2 Preview - SWOT Analysis

Yashwanthy Kanniyappan

Well. Well. Well. The long wait is finally going to end. Bahubali 2, hitting the screens this Friday and what more can be exciting for the movie lovers?  Dedicated cast and a sound technical crew led by a man who knows what he wants and how to deliver.  No doubt, Bahubali  2 is a blockbuster already!

Strengths:

• The director of the film, S S Rajamouli - Though the director had originated from the Telugu Film Industry, he has emerged out as a pro in making bilingual, trilingual movies and has made audience from different regions look forward to his films. Be it Magadheera(Telugu, Maaveeran in Tamil) or Naan Ee (Tamil, Eega in Telugu, Makkhi in Hindi and Eecha in Malayalam) or even Maryada Ramanna(Telugu) for that matter, the director knows the pulse of the audience like the back of his hand. With apt usage of technology as his aid, he is the attracting force that brings audience to his movies!

• Bahubali is a brand itself. Be it the whooping budget involved (INR 250 crore for both the part put together!) or the breath-taking VFX (Makuta, EFx, Firefly – Hyderabad and Tau, USA) or huge casting (should I even call it out?) or the satellite rights being sold to Sony for a roaring 51 crore!

• If that doesn’t suffice to call it a brand, the movie has made a INR 500 crore business even before its release, and to top it all, it comes out with no competition in all four languages – Telugu, Tamil, Hindi & Malayalam!

• Actor Karthi made a note in awe during the recent audio release of Magalir Mattum that even other language movie producers and distributors are wondering if they could release their movie alongside Bahubali 2 as it is getting tougher to get theatre allocation! Wow!

• Bahubali 2, to be the first telugu film to be released in 4K High Definition Format. And what’s more interesting? The movie might also be the first one to give you a virtual reality experience. Yeah, you could feel like being a part of the movie with the VR booths expecting to be installed at quite a number of theatres. Though this is a buzz and there isn’t an official confirmation, the thought excites us, isn’t it?

• Dedication is the mantra since ages. The cast’s physical transformations, skill acquisitions and their look on screen had already casted a spell on the audience through the part 1 and promotions.

• The buzz created by the question, “Why Kattappa Killed Baahubali?” - #WKKB , had been trending worldwide since Baahubali 1 and the fact that the audience are looking forward for the answer in Bahubali 2 is itself a huge strength as the element works and is attracting massive masses!

Weakness:

• The plot is so straightforward and simple that people had already started coming out with various permutations and combinations as the answer for #WKKB since 2015. One can strongly suspect if Bahubali 2 will live up to the expectations and give out a fitting finale. We, at MC, are keeping our fingers crossed on the same!

• The music. More pleasing to the ear buds of Telugu audience, I suspect if the songs had worked out as much as Bahubali 1 to the audience from other regions.

Opportunities:

• The scalability! Comparing with all the big releases in Indian Cinema so far, Bahubali 2 steals and secures a place as the synonym for grandeur, buzz and visual extravaganza. Guess they have used all the promotion techniques to the right level and have created waves of expectation from people across the globe.

• The Sequel factor – South Indian film industry had not been so successful in making sequels that engage audience as much as the Hollywood and Bollywood. Having Baahubali 3 on the cards, it is so evident that the Man, SS Rajamouli, had already broken the sequel jinx prevailing here.

Threats:

• Though the movie guarantees a never-seen-before visual experience and flamboyance, the running length is expected to be close to 2 hours and 50 minutes, which could be a pull down factor if the script isn’t accompanied by a gripping screenplay.

Final Words:

All things said and done, we are sure that Bahubali 2 is a colossal milestone in the history of Indian Cinema. With all the prevailing buzz and expectations, a tight screenplay is all that we need as rest of the ingredients are already in place for a lip-smacking recipe.

Well, let us keep calm and trust in SS Rajamouli. Best wishes for the Team Bahubali 2 from Moviecrow.

Make way for the Magnum Opus and let us know your thoughts after the FDFS!