South remakes have always been a potential goldmine for Hindi cinema. If you look at the past few years, Hindi remakes of films from the southern belt have had a terrific success rate, with their alpha male heroes in perennial action mode, or outgoing comedies with nerve-wracking background score. Which is why it is quite easy to suspect that S. S. Rajamouli’s Bāhubali will soon have a Bollywood remake.
The first part, Baahubali: The Beginning, has been a stupendous success all over India, despite being a dubbed film, a first of its kind. The sequel, Baahubali: The Conclusion, is now highly anticipated. But more or less, the success in the Hindi region was not because of the Southern stars, but the imaginative storytelling and magnanimous visuals. If the same film gets made with top-lining major Bollywood stars, the business would be nothing short of thunderous.
So, we just got to thinking about who would fit the character canvas of this magnum opus. And the following was a result of some intense brainstorming. Read on.
Hrithik Roshan as Mahendra Baahubali
Prabhas has the earnestness and might in equal measure, and this is why everyone rooted for him to win. His physical built and acrobatic skills made action scenes convincing. In Hindi filmdom, Hrithik Roshan has the same stature and imposing presence to make Baahubali convincing. He can fight, he can dance, and he can romance with ample display of biceps. If the histrionics are kept in check, all will be well.
Akshay Kumar as Bhallala Deva
Though his acting skills are questionable, Rana Daggubati fared well because his role required more muscle than acting chops. This side, Akshay Kumar fits the bill, but he would need to develop extra pounds to make his lean body commanding in presence. He has been a seasoned action hero, and by playing a villain as threatening as Bhallala Deva, he might prove that he is the khiladi for all ages.
Deepika Padukone as Avanthika
Unlike Tamannaah, Deepika Padukone has the beauty and charm to lure someone into climbing an infinite waterfall. Going by Deepika’s sword swishing turn in Bajirao Mastani, looks like she can pull off the feisty resistance of Avanthika. Our only wish is that her character shouldn’t be compromised like the original.
Madhuri Dixit as Sivagami
Ramya Krishnan, known to the Hindi audience for her many heaving and sighing roles in the 90’s, was a big surprise in Baahubali: The Beginning. Her Sivagami spat fire through her eyes, and the sari clad warrior woman was a standout. This has been tough pick, but after much deliberation, we have zeroed in on Madhuri Dixit. Remember how Madhuri slapped Milind Gunaji in Devdas, or unleashed her wrath in the patriarchal hell of Mrityudand? She is elegant enough to be a queen, and possesses the strength to be the fearless mother.
Irrfan Khan as Katappa
Going by the cliff-hanger of the first film, Katappa seems to be the key character in both the films, driving the story with unforeseen capabilities. The ever dependable Sathyaraj has done a great job to make the character a living breathing entity. We would take our Mr. Reliable aka Irrfan Khan to essay the fighter. Irrfan is excellent in the acting department as we all know, only the action skills would need to be enhanced.
Tabu as Maharani Devasena
Anushka Shetty’s cakey makeup made her look like a horror lady rather than an aged, tormented queen. Just go easy on the makeup, and take our Tabu. She has been a specialist in playing mothers with a twist.
(The writer is a journalist and a screenwriter who believes in the insanity of words, in print or otherwise. Follow him on Twitter: @RanjibMazumder)