Karan Johar said ‘Baahubali’ looks like Avatar: Rana Daggubati

"When we met, there was nothing much to show him. So, I put some slides together and Karan Johar said 'It looks like Avatar'," says Rana Daggubati.

Well remembered for his Bollywood debut in ‘Dum Maaro Dum’ and recently seen onscreen in Neeraj Pandey’s ‘Baby’, actor and producer Rana Daggubati talks about his intense preparation for SS Rajamouli’s ‘Baahubali’, where plays the negative role of Bhallala Deva. 

“I’m very excited about its release. We shot for almost two-and-half to three years and you feel like this is never going to get over, so it’s good feeling that it’s finally there.” Even though the muscled actor has invested a good part of his time in this mega period film, Rana says he will have no regrets if the film does not turn out as expected. “For a film like this, everyday I went on to the set, I went with pride and excitement that this kind of film has never been done before. 

And the skill sets I have picked up during the film be it the action or horse riding, will stay with me for a long time, so I have no regrets.” However, Rana did admit to it being extremely physically strenuous shooting for the epic project, “It was very draining. When I was signed on to this film three years ago, he wanted me to physically big. There were two body builders who came on board for us to gain size and we also had a fight master to train us in different forms of martial arts.” Talking about the preparation that went into the physical aspects of the film, he said, “There are quite a few Hollywood films and Asian war films, we did not want the action to look like anything from there. 

So, we ourselves designed weapons and figured out ways to use them. All that took about six months including learning to ride a horse and a chariot.” In an industry like Bollywood, some of our classic villains have stood out more than the protagonists themselves. Rana, on his part, believes that his character of Bhallala Deva will go home with the audience. “Every time you read an epic story like ‘Ramayan’, ‘Raavan’ is so powerful even though it’s a negative character. Similarly, ‘Baahubali’ is also an epic tale of two cousins fighting for their right to the kingdom. So, every actor gets a chance to be a villain once and gets it right. I did not see anything bigger than ‘Baahubali’.” 

Rana also spoke about Bollywood director Karan Johar presenting ‘Baahubali’. “We set out to make a world class project but at the same time you need the right positioning and the right people to put in its place and Karan Johar was our first audience. It’s always nice to have another filmmaker to reassure that you are making a good quality film. When we met, there was nothing much to show him. 

So, I put some slides together and he said ‘It looks like Avatar’. That’s when I knew he was sold. Today we talk about it being one of the largest motion picture in this country and those are actually the first words Karan had told me. He said, ‘This is bigger than anything that I have seen in India.’ And he came on board right then.

 I chose Karan because I know him very well and I knew that if they believed in the project, they would go all out.” Rana further added, “To me this film is very special because as a child I grew up on stories from Amar Chitra Katha and I was always a movie lover. Every time I watched a big Hollywood war film, I would think that we have so many stories to tell and why aren’t we telling them. 

And there’s nothing more exciting than this.” Having had a successful pairing with Bipasha Basu in ‘Dum Maaro Dum’, there were reports that Rana was to reunite with the actress for designer Vikram Phadnis’ directorial debut, ‘Nia’. However, Rana said there has been a change in plan. “I am not doing the film anymore.

 They wanted sometime earlier this year, but I was still shooting for ‘Baahubali’. I am assuming the film is done.” Rana Daggubati will be seen in the second part of ‘Baahubali’ as well, which will go on floors in August.