In 2015, Indian cinema witnessed a historic box-office showdown when two blockbusters — SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali: The Beginning and Salman Khan’s Bajrangi Bhaijaan — released just a week apart, both going
on to redefine the scope and success of Indian films. Now, as Rajamouli prepares to re-release the Baahubali saga as one unified experience titled Baahubali: The Epic, he sat down with Prabhas and Rana Daggubati to reminisce about that unforgettable clash and what almost didn’t happen.
Rajamouli Almost Delayed Baahubali To Avoid Salman Khan Clash
During their conversation, Rana Daggubati revealed that Rajamouli had seriously considered postponing Baahubali: The Beginning to steer clear of the massive wave that was Salman Khan’s Eid release.
Rana recalled, “We were doing promotions and Rajamouli sir was saying, ‘Speak to Karan Johar, we will release it next week.’ I told him, ‘It doesn’t work like that in Hindi. Everything is locked.’ But he said, ‘It’s just one week only. There’s another Hindi movie releasing on the same day.’”
At this, Prabhas interjected with amusement, saying, “Salman Khan cinema! It wasn’t any ordinary cinema — it was Salman Khan’s cinema.”
Rana added, “Rajamouli sir even said that Bajrangi Bhaijaan would be really good. He knew the story and said, ‘That cinema will be very good.’”
The Films That Defined A Generation
Interestingly, both Baahubali: The Beginning and Bajrangi Bhaijaan were written by V. Vijayendra Prasad, Rajamouli’s father. The two films not only avoided eating into each other’s business but went on to become landmark hits — Baahubali for its visual grandeur and storytelling scale, and Bajrangi Bhaijaan for its emotional depth and universal appeal.
In Hindi, both Baahubali films were distributed by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions, adding another layer of irony to the story — the very person Rajamouli wanted to call for a delay was the one backing both sides of the box-office battlefield.
Baahubali: The Epic To Release October 31, 2025
Now, a decade later, Rajamouli is bringing the two-part saga back to theatres as Baahubali: The Epic, merging The Beginning and The Conclusion into one cinematic experience with a runtime of 3 hours and 44 minutes. The re-release, set for October 31, 2025, marks the 10-year anniversary of the franchise that changed Indian filmmaking forever.
With anticipation soaring once again, Baahubali: The Epic is poised to recreate the magic that first captivated millions — reminding audiences why Rajamouli’s vision remains one of India’s most powerful cinematic legacies.
