Is 'Baahubali' A Classic?

What is the criterion for a movie to be termed a classic? It should stand the test of time. Even decades after its release, it should be talked about and people should still keep finding something new in it every single time they watch it.

‘Baahubali’ has managed to attract the attention of India to Tollywood and the credit for this goes to director Rajamouli, entirely.

Having said that, is ‘Baahubali’ a classic that will stand the test of time, a movie that will still be talked about for its content rather than its collections? Can it hold its own in a league of films like ‘Maya Bazaar’, ‘Shankarabharanam’ or ‘Shiva’?

While exaggeration in films is part and parcel of the business, the above films were practical to the maximum extent possible.

While ‘Maya Bazaar’ was based on mythology, Shankarabharanam was a stunningly written script whereas ‘Shiva’ marked the beginning of the RGV era of filmmaking.

And none of these films had outlandish scenes such as the one in ‘Baahubali’ where a fierce battle is raging on yet Ramya Krishna and Nasser standing on a hillock miles away can apparently see with complete comfort what seems to be happening at the epicenter of the battle. Such gross exaggerations take the sheen away from the movie’s triumph.

Having said that, nobody said that Rajamouli was the finest director in Tollywood! He is the most successful one and there’s a difference between the two, isn’t it?