Bahubali: A Spiritual Perspective

The movie Baahubali, both parts—The Beginning and The Conclusion—which were recently released, became amazing blockbusters and created a genre of their own in depicting historical fiction based on Indian Dharmic themes and imagery. If we consider the fact that the human mind is inherently creative and has an active faculty for imagination, this need for creativity has been long fulfilled by storytelling. For centuries, humans have spun stories to entertain each other. The more dramatic and riveting the stories, the more attractive they become.

Children, in particular, love to hear stories, as do adults. While adults often enjoy reading fiction novels, children also have their own stories. With the advancement of technology, what was once a tradition of live dramas has now evolved into movies. The use of themes from Indian tradition through the medium of film was first notably done with Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan, a show that became immensely popular in India, especially in the 1980s and 1990s. On Sunday mornings, when Ramayan aired, traffic would stop, and people would stay at home with reverence. Often, when Lord Ram would appear on screen, people would offer obeisances and perform aartis. In fact, in the 1950s, when a movie version of the Ramayan was released in theaters, people would stand up and offer obeisances to Lord Ram on the big screen.

In such a pious and religious culture, any depiction of sacred traditions tends to attract a lot of attention—often with reverence. After the success of Ramayan, Mahabharat was depicted, spawning a whole genre of TV serials and movies, particularly focusing on Indian epics like Ramayan and Mahabharat.

Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan wasn’t celebrated for its special effects. Using relatively primitive technology, its special effects were rudimentary. What made it captivating was the devotional themes it portrayed through the electronic medium, which drew immense attention. This was one genre—using technology to develop devotional themes. On the other hand, there is a whole genre that focuses on the best technology, thrilling action, and cutting-edge special effects to captivate audiences.

Globally, movies like The Lord of the Rings have attracted audiences not because of any religious connection, but due to gripping action and compelling stories. Similarly, Ben-Hur became immensely popular, an acclaimed film based on a biblical retelling. Such movies present spiritual and cultural motifs using the language of contemporary media, a language that goes beyond verbal communication to include all mediums of communication, such as social media and film. Few mediums influence people’s minds as much as television, movies, and what is depicted in them.

Of course, Baahubali is not a devotional story or a retelling of a sacred myth. It is a work of fiction set in an Indian context, filled with Dharmic imagery. It incorporates symbols that represent characters sacred to Indian tradition. Baahubali was the first movie of its kind to be made in a vernacular language and then dubbed into Hindi, becoming immensely popular. It marks the rejuvenation of national pride in the power of the vernacular language and the ability of indigenous artists, producers, directors, special effects designers, and actors to create a movie that is celebrated not just locally, but globally.

While this signals a Dharmic rejuvenation, especially among younger generations who live distanced from traditional culture, it also raises a concern. Many parents, especially those in the diaspora, often tell me that Bollywood is their primary way of introducing their children to Indian culture. Bollywood, however, often provides a romanticized and sometimes graphically violent depiction of life, rather than an accurate portrayal of traditional Indian values. The minds of Indian children, particularly in places like America, are being shaped immensely by what they watch on television and in movies. This genre of filmmaking, highly influenced by Western cultural trends—especially in terms of special effects and fictional themes—has captured global attention.

For example, stories like that of Julius Caesar might have been forgotten if not for their retelling by Shakespeare. These tales were then enacted in dramas and made into movies, keeping these characters alive in the Western cultural consciousness. In India, however, it is common for people to know more about Western fictional characters than they do about Indian historical or scriptural figures, such as the Pandavas. Unless we speak in a language people understand—by “language,” I mean the medium of communication, such as movies and television—we risk failing to keep traditional culture alive and relevant to contemporary audiences.

From this perspective, the success of Baahubali is significant. It is filled with Dharmic imagery drawn from the Indian context and has been commercially and artistically successful worldwide. It shows that Dharmic themes, when depicted with modern storytelling techniques, can be both commercially viable and spiritually impactful. Baahubali demonstrates the potential for such stories to inspire both a nationalistic cultural pride and a universal spiritual awakening.

One prominent modern thinker, C. S. Lewis, discussed how the imagination, especially the Christian imagination, can be nourished. He categorized literature into three broad types: biblical literature, mass fiction, and pious fiction. The first focuses on religious or sacred themes; the second often lacks religious context and sometimes includes anti-religious values; and the third, pious fiction, may not directly reference religious stories but conveys values compatible with a healthy spiritual life.

C. S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia fits within this genre of pious fiction. While it is a fictional tale filled with adventure and animal characters, it is also imbued with Christian themes—such as the character of Aslan, who mirrors the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Many people read Narnia simply as entertainment, but some connect its themes to the Bible and appreciate the spiritual messages within.

Similarly, pious fiction can direct the audience toward higher spiritual realities while still providing entertainment. However, there is a risk that such fiction can sometimes displace more central spiritual figures. For example, the character of Santa Claus, while harmless on the surface, can shift the focus of Christmas away from the birth of Jesus and toward a more secular, commercialized version of the holiday.

Baahubali draws upon many motifs from the Mahabharata, such as a disabled king who cannot rule, envious heirs, conflicts between cousins, and scheming maternal uncles. These parallels to the Mahabharata offer a new way for audiences to engage with the epic and view it in a contemporary light. However, there is a potential downside: Baahubali could become so central in people’s imaginations that characters from the Mahabharata, like Krishna, Ram, the Pandavas, or Hanuman, might be neglected in favor of fictional characters like Baahubali.

Nevertheless, the commercial success of Baahubali shows there is a market for stories rooted in Indian culture and Dharmic themes. If this success can inspire directors, producers, and actors to create similarly sophisticated depictions of epics like the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, it would be a significant step forward. A high-quality, high-tech rendition of these epics would not only spark a Dharmic cultural revitalization, but also a spiritual awakening for India and the world at large.

Thank you.