The National award for Telugu movie Bahubali is really surprising. No doubt SS Rajamouli had stunned the cinematic world with its mixed fantasy and folklore, with stories of unbridled imagination. UK's The Guardian, gave the film a four star rating, calling it a " fantastic bang for your buck" . The Forbes also gave it a four star rating, while BBC included the film in their documentary :"100 years of Indian Cinema." After a gap of many years, my youngest daughter took us to the nearby Cinema Hall in a Mall, for this movie. To me, The Bahubali depicted feudal era internal strifes in a royal family that too fictionally. No realistic history or social message about protecting country's unity or human values. Those who have seen Benhur will understand this wherein, it depicts the plight of Jews during Christ's life time in Roman Empire. Infact, to me , it was like story in Chandamama, mixed with Kommuri Sambasivarao's detective story line. I am sure if Rajamouli has done like this on " Kakatiya Pratapa Rudra" or " Dwarakadheesh Srikrishna" or " Krishnadeva Raya" with historic facts, he would win an Oscar awards. too. It looks that the Govt must have mistook Bahubali for Hindu religion upliftment, as the leftist Malayali intelligentsia used to get awards every year during Congress days for depicting India in bad shape. Other wise many classical pictures or culturally rich films by K Viswanath were neglected lot during leftists hold on cultural stage in India.
Bahubali's global success has thrust Telugu cinema,into a lime light. I wish all the Telugu movies Directors all the best. The main objective of National awards is to encourage good and small budget films and explore unknown talent in various fields connected with cinema. It is surprising that it took 63 years for a Telugu film to win coveted award. In retrospect it is surprising to note how celluloid classics such as Mayabazar, Sankarabharanam, missed the awards. Infact Mayabazar was adjudged the greatest Indian film of all times in poll conducted 2013 by a leading News Channel. In comparison Bahubali was average, had series of special effects and graphics and was garish as such. Ofcorse, Bahubali -- the beginning is no doubt good and it's director has been honoured with Padma award but I fail to understand on what basis it was judged the best film given that it was just hyped and high budget movie with all commercial elements minus a message for the society.