Actor Prabhas says, Baahubali has raised hopes of regional filmmakers

NEW DELHI : What started off as a mere vision in filmmaker S.S. Rajamouli's mind in 2012, has today become a phenomenon of sorts in Indian cinema. Actor Prabhas, who invested four years to the two-part "Baahubali" franchise, says he would have happily given more time to the project which he feels fortunate to have been a part of.

After the stupendous success of "Baahubali: The Beginning" in 2015, "Baahubali 2: The Conclusion" has set an unprecedented record for Indian cinema by raking in over Rs 1,500 crore (almost $180 million) worldwide  giving Prabhas a visibility he had never predicted for himself.

"I have my strong faith, respect and belief in Rajamouli sir. The fact that he believed I could play Baahubali was huge for me. If needed, I would have even given seven years of my life for Baahubali, as such characters are rare to play in a lifetime for any actor. I consider myself very fortunate and lucky for it," Prabhas told IANS over email.

Prabhas says the pressure was more on him and the whole team of "Baahubali" when they were making the first part as it established the film right from the start. 

"'Baahubali' has definitely increased hopes for a lot of regional film makers. After all, what I have learnt is that it only takes one 'Baahubali' to enter into the audiences' hearts and cross the boundaries," he added.

"I never thought I will pursue acting because I was a shy person. Around the age of 18 or 19 it struck me that I want to be an actor. I told my dad (producer Uppalapati Surya Narayana Raju) and uncle about it, they felt very happy," Prabhas said.

"As an actor, 'Baahubali' has given me so much that I can't explain in words. It's a character that will always be a part of me," he added. While the "Baahubali 2: The Conclusion" hangover doesn't seem to sober down at the box office anytime soon, Prabhas is now gearing up for his next project "Saaho", to be directed by Sujeeth.