Baahubali: The Beginning – The Epic Similarities

The characters of Baahubali: The Beginning, a historic epic fiction directed by S S Rajamouli, are inspired by various personalities described in Ramayana & Mahabharata. Though it is not a one-to-one match, we see many sequences that will remind us of the incidents recorded in these epics. In fact, movie maker S S Rajamouli, who conceived and presented this visually stunning experience called Baahubali, says that he took inspiration from Mahabharata and that he had emotional connect with these epics, which were fed to him right from his childhood.

Krishna being transferred from Mathura to Gokula

When Krishna was born there was a threat to his life from Kamsa, the King of Mathura. To protect Krishna, Vasudeva carried the child from Mathura to Gokula, crossing the river Yamuna. Krishna, born in the prison house, was transferred to the house of Nanda Maharaja to live as the son of Yashoda.

    

To protect the child of Amarendra Baahubali and Devasena from the King Ballaladeva, Sivagami carries the child and escapes through a tunnel, and crosses the river. The stranded child is rescued by a group of villagers and thus Mahendra Baahubali lives as Shiva, the son of a woman named Sanga

Hanuman offering to rescue Sitadevi

Sitadevi is kept captive in Ashoka Vatika by Ravana, the King of Lanka. Hanuman comes in search of Sitadevi. He finds her and offers obeisances. He offers to rescue Sitadevi and awaits her order. But Sitadevi refuses saying that she will wait for her husband Ramachandra to come and rescue her after killing the evil minded Ravana.

 
 
 
   
 

Kattappa offers to rescue Devasena and pleads for her approval. But she refuses. She says that her son will come to punish Ballaladeva and rescue her.

 
 
 

Ravana talking to Sitadevi in Ashokavana

Ravana visits Sitadevi at Ashoka forest and insists that she marry him and lead a royal life as the queen of Lanka. Sitadevi does not even see the face of Ravana, but tells him that her husband will surely come and punish him for his misdeeds.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Ballaladeva visits Devasena who is captivated in Mahishmati. He scorns at her for rejecting him and choosing Amarendra Baahubali as her husband. Devasena does not even look at him. She later informs Kattappa that she is building the funeral pyre for Ballaladeva and that her son will come and drag the evil minded Ballaladeva to the funeral pyre to be burnt alive.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

Hanuman setting fire to palace of Ravana

Hanuman comes to Lanka looking for Sitadevi. He sees her in the Ashokavana. To teach a lesson to Ravana, he sets fire to the royal palace and burns the entire city of Lanka. He also kills Akshaya Kumara, the son of Ravana

 

Mahendra Baahubali comes in disguise to rescue Devasena. He sets fire to the royal palace of Ballaladeva and also kills his son.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 

 

Mahabali and Vamanadeva

Knowing that the killer of the prince is none other than Mahendra Baahubali, the son of Amarendra Baahubali, Kattappa, the slave warrior, surrenders to him. He takes the feet of Mahendra Baahubali and keeps it on his head, a scene reminding Vamandeva keeping his foot on the head of Mahabali.Knowing that the killer of the prince is none other than Mahendra Baahubali, the son of Amarendra Baahubali, Kattappa, the slave warrior, surrenders to him. He takes the feet of Mahendra Baahubali and keeps it on his head, a scene reminding Vamandeva keeping his foot on the head of Mahabali.

Kalayavana attacks Mathura

The attack of Kalakeyas, a tribe that speaks an incomprehensible language, on Mahishmati, is similar to that of the attack of Kalayavana, a barbarian warrior, who attacked Mathura, with thirty million soldiers. The Kalakeyas were described as barbarians who do not follow any specific rules while battling and they pass through the cities destroying them and making them look like a field stripped off by the swarming locusts that destroy the crops.

Did you notice any other similarities such as this? Feel free to write in the comments.

Baahubali: The Conclusion which is scheduled to release in 2016, may come with more surprises. However, project Baahubali is just a trailer of Mahabharata. With his stunning visualization, let us wait for S S Rajamouli to present the original epic Mahabharata, with much more grandeur.