Baahubali Review (To Be Continued...)

Motivation: The Power of Purpose and Love

One of the most memorable sequences in Baahubali: The Beginning is Mahendra Baahubali's attempt to climb the gigantic waterfall in his village. This scene is much more than a display of physical strength—it is a powerful lesson about motivation and the human spirit.

Since childhood, Mahendra Baahubali has been fascinated by the world beyond the waterfall. He constantly wonders what lies above it and dreams of reaching the top. Time and again, he attempts the impossible climb. His adopted mother strongly opposes his desire because she fears for his safety, but Mahendra refuses to give up. Despite repeated failures, his curiosity and determination remain alive.

Years pass, and Mahendra grows into a powerful young man. Yet his dream remains unchanged. He continues to challenge the waterfall, but there is one particular point that he can never cross. Every attempt ends in failure. Even his friends begin to discourage him, telling him to abandon the dream because it is impossible.

At this stage, everyone around him—his mother and his friends—is against the idea. They believe he should accept his limits. However, Mahendra refuses to let go of his ambition.

Then destiny changes everything.

One day, a mysterious mask falls from the top of the waterfall. The mask fascinates Mahendra. For days, he keeps looking at it, wondering who it belongs to.  Who could be living beyond the waterfall?

One day, he places the mask on the sand. The three-dimensional shape of the mask creates the beautiful outline of a woman's face. The image captivates him. Although he has never met her, he becomes deeply attracted to the mysterious woman and develops an overwhelming desire to find her.

This becomes the turning point.

Filled with a new purpose, Mahendra begins climbing the waterfall once again. He reaches the very spot where he had failed countless times before. But this time, instead of thinking about his fear or his failures, he imagines the beautiful woman waiting beyond the waterfall. That vision fills him with extraordinary determination. He gives every ounce of his strength and finally crosses the obstacle that had always stopped him.

The climb becomes even more dangerous, but his motivation never weakens. His desire to meet the mysterious woman keeps pushing him forward until he successfully reaches the top.

This sequence beautifully demonstrates that motivation can awaken hidden strength within a person. Mahendra's physical abilities had always existed, but he needed a powerful reason to unlock his full potential. The mysterious woman gave him that purpose.

The film suggests that when a person deeply loves or is inspired by someone, they can achieve what once seemed impossible. Love, purpose, and determination together can transform ordinary effort into extraordinary achievement.

The waterfall was never just a physical obstacle. It symbolized the limits of the human mind. Once Mahendra found a purpose greater than his fear, those limits disappeared. That is what makes this scene one of the most inspiring moments in Baahubali.

         Mahendra Baahubali is crossing the most difficult part of the waterfall.
 

Baahubali Re-Review: A New Observation on an Epic Masterpiece

No one can deny that Baahubali is a marvelous cinematic achievement. It is one of those rare films that can be watched repeatedly without losing its magic. Every viewing reveals something new to appreciate. The story, characters, costumes, cinematography, background score, and songs are all exceptional, making it one of the finest films in Indian cinema.

The Baahubali film series also holds the distinction of being one of the highest-grossing franchises in the history of Indian cinema. Its success is not only measured by box office records but also by its lasting impact on audiences across the world.

Today, I decided to rewatch the film with a fresh perspective, paying close attention to details that I had overlooked before.

The film begins with the opening credits introducing the filmmaking team. Then comes the very first dialogue:

"Parmeshwor... if you want redemption for my sins, then take my life, but give life to this baby."

These powerful words are spoken by Queen Mother Sivagami as she desperately escapes the palace carrying the infant Mahendra Baahubali. Both their lives are in grave danger. Despite being severely injured, Sivagami continues her journey with only one goal—to save the child. She ultimately sacrifices her own life, but her wish is fulfilled when the baby is rescued by the tribal villagers and survives.

This opening dialogue carries a deeper symbolic meaning. In Hindu culture, beginning any important task by remembering God is considered highly auspicious. People often invoke the name of Parmeshwor (God) before starting a new journey, undertaking a responsibility, or making a significant decision, believing that divine blessings bring success and protection.

It is therefore fascinating that the very first spoken word in Baahubali is "Parmeshwor." This appears to be more than a coincidence. It subtly reflects a deeply rooted cultural tradition while setting the spiritual and emotional tone for the epic story that follows. Before introducing kingdoms, wars, or heroes, the film begins with an invocation of God, reminding the audience that faith, sacrifice, and destiny are at the heart of the narrative.

This small detail demonstrates the thoughtful craftsmanship behind Baahubali. Even its opening dialogue is carefully designed to connect with Indian cultural values and create an emotional foundation for the journey ahead. It is one of many reasons why Baahubali continues to reward audiences with new insights every time it is revisited.

Queen Mother Sivagami carrying baby Mahendra Bahubali

Nepal International Indigenous Film Festival 08

I am so glad that I watched 4 films in this Nepal International Indigenous Film Festival( NIIFF).

In Laman's Terms Looking at Lamanite (60 ' / Sub - English)2: 10 pm

Native American / U. S. A., 2008,

Dir. Anglo Beca

A subversive look into the Mormon gospel and church

Documentary

Positive Part- Nice Analysis on Lamanite

Negative - Poor Video Quality

Anagarik (98' Sub – English) 5: 10 pm

Gurung / Nepal, 2007,

Dir. Ram Babu Gurung
A tale of a boy forced to go abroad because of state's discrimination.

Fiction

Positive Part- Real Portray of Gurung Community

Negative Part- Sometimes it feels that story is out of track

Spirits for Sale (58 ' / sub - English) 1: 00 pm

Navajo/English, 2007,

Dir. Folke Johansson

A tale of the invasion of the White people into the Navajo American culture

Documentary

Chesung ( 98' Sub – English) 3:00 pm

Limbu / Nepal, 2007,

Dir. Mausam Imbung

A struggle to restore the traditional rights on the land

Fiction

Positive Part: Nice Presentation of Limbu Community

Negative Part: Introducing Character is very weak

A lady in traditional dress in NIIFF

‘The Blue Umbrella’

A small girl (Biniya) gets blue Japanese umbrella.An Old shopkeepers, in that village, desires it at any cost. He tries to lure the girl by offering lollipop and balloons for that umbrella. The girl is not attracted by the offer. He goes to umbrella shop and finds that he can’t afford it. The desire to own that umbrella leads the old man to steal it. He colours its red so that others would think he had bought it and proudly displays it to his villagers.


The girl can’t find umbrella and becomes very unhappy. She looks everywhere for it and finds that old man had stolen it.

When the villagers finds the real story, they banish him for his misconduct But he doesn’t leave that village. So everyone ignores him in gatherings and ceremonies.


The small girl notices it and feels sorry for him.

One day she goes to his shop to buy some biscuit. The old man finds that the girl has left her umbrella. He eyes it with regret because of the grief it had brought. He takes it inside, and tries to burn it. But he couldn’t . So he looks for the girl and returns it. But the girl doesn’t take it back.

This is the outline of the story.

The director has succeeded in portraying the emotions of happiness when the girl gets blue umbrella, sadness when losing it. He is successful in showing the feeling of old man’s happiness after getting umbrella and the feeling of ignorance after the disclose of this theft.

It is based on a Ruskin Bond novella by the same name, ‘The Blue Umbrella’

The last lines of the book go like this (I got it from internet)

"But it’s such a pretty umbrella!" protested Ram Bharosa. "It’s the best umbrella in the village."
"I know," said Biniya. "But an umbrella isn’t everything."

Note: I want to thank Suryama for editing this article.