‘Baahubali was called Indian cinema’s biggest disaster’: SS Rajamouli recalls ₹70 crore deficit on release day

Filmmaker S.S. Rajamouli has opened up about the immense financial pressure and uncertainty surrounding the release of Baahubali: The Beginning, revealing that the blockbuster was once labelled "Indian cinema's biggest disaster" by sections of the film industry.

Speaking at a recent event, Rajamouli reflected on the difficult period leading up to the release of the 2015 epic, saying distributors and industry insiders were deeply concerned about the film's unprecedented budget. According to the acclaimed director, the project was carrying a deficit of nearly ₹70 crore on the day it hit theatres, fuelling widespread predictions that it would fail commercially.

"There was a ₹70 crore deficit on the day of release. Many people said Baahubali would become Indian cinema's biggest disaster," Rajamouli recalled, describing the enormous risks involved in mounting a film of such scale. He noted that the industry had rarely seen a production of that magnitude, making investors and distributors apprehensive about recovering their money.

Released in July 2015, Baahubali: The Beginning featured Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Anushka Shetty, Tamannaah Bhatia, Ramya Krishnan, Sathyaraj and Nassar in pivotal roles. Produced by Arka Media Works, the fantasy action epic was mounted on a record-breaking budget and was simultaneously shot in Telugu and Tamil before being dubbed into multiple languages.

Despite the gloomy predictions, the film opened to overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics and audiences alike. Its breathtaking visual effects, grand storytelling, powerful performances and Rajamouli's ambitious direction helped transform it into a nationwide phenomenon.

The film went on to earn more than ₹600 crore worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing Indian film at the time and introducing pan-India cinema to an unprecedented scale. Its iconic cliffhanger—"Why did Kattappa kill Baahubali?"—became one of the biggest talking points in Indian popular culture and generated immense anticipation for the sequel.

Two years later, Baahubali 2: The Conclusion shattered every existing box office record by earning over ₹1,800 crore globally. The sequel became the first Indian film to cross the ₹1,000 crore milestone and cemented Rajamouli's reputation as one of the country's most successful filmmakers.

Reflecting on the journey, Rajamouli suggested that innovation often attracts scepticism before it earns acceptance. He noted that ambitious projects inevitably face doubts because they challenge established industry norms, but success ultimately depends on audience support rather than early predictions.

The phenomenal success of the Baahubali franchise fundamentally changed the Indian film industry. It demonstrated that regional-language films could achieve nationwide and global appeal, paving the way for other large-scale blockbusters such as KGF, Pushpa, Kantara, RRR and Kalki 2898 AD to find audiences across linguistic boundaries.

Rajamouli is currently working on his next ambitious project, tentatively titled SSMB29, starring Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Prithviraj Sukumaran. The globe-trotting action adventure is widely regarded as one of the most anticipated Indian films currently in production.