United News of Bangladesh

Baahubali: The Beginning stormed into cinemas and rewrote the rules of Indian filmmaking a decade ago, on July 10, 2015. Directed by SS Rajamouli and co-written by his father V Vijayendra Prasad, the film introduced audiences to the mythical kingdom of Mahishmati, earning over Rs 600 crore at the global box office and transforming its stars into household names. From Prabhas’s portrayal of Amarendra and Mahendra Baahubali to Rana Daggubati’s menacing Bhallaladeva, the film’s sweeping narrative and cutting-edge visuals captivated audiences across the world. But long before Baahubali became a cultural phenomenon, its roots began with a single character. ‘Night at the Museum’ reboot in development at 20th century studios In a 2015 interview with Forbes, Rajamouli revealed, “It all started with the character of Sivagami. One day about 9 or 10 years back my father told me about this character. The first scene of the film is what he [Rajamouli's father V Vijayendra Prasad] narrated to me, where Sivagami saves the child and she dies, that was very emotional.” “But he just told me about that character, there was no story or anything. But the character was there, then a few years later he told me about the character Kattappa, the loyal slave. And later he told me about the character of Bhallala Deva.” So then about 4 or 5 years back we said why don’t we bring all these characters together to make a story. And then things started falling into place, he added. Rajamouli said, “Most of the time the creator doesn’t know where he gets his inspiration from. It just gets into your mind, gets churned up with a hundred other stories, and when the output comes you don’t know where the actual source is from.” The film’s legacy only grew with Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, solidifying the saga as one of Indian cinema’s greatest triumphs.

The earnings of Indian film actors are often shrouded in secrecy, but occasionally, reports surface revealing the staggering sums that top stars command. While male superstars frequently charge over Rs 100 crore per film, leading actresses are steadily narrowing the pay gap. The title of India’s highest-paid actress has now changed hands, with Priyanka Chopra securing an unprecedented Rs 30 crore fee for her much-anticipated comeback film.  Priyanka Chopra is set to return to Indian cinema after nearly six years, starring in SS Rajamouli’s upcoming film alongside Mahesh Babu. This project also marks her return to South Indian cinema after two decades. According to “Bollywood Hungama”, Priyanka’s remuneration for the film is the highest ever received by an Indian actress for a single project.  A source close to the production revealed, “The delay in announcing her participation was due to extensive negotiations. Priyanka was firm on her fee, and rightly so. Why should only male actors command eight-figure salaries in our industry?”  While Priyanka has previously commanded even higher fees—reportedly $5 million (approximately Rs 41 crore) for Amazon Prime Video’s Citadel—the six-hour runtime of the series justified the amount. DiCaprio’s film delayed as Warner Bros reshuffles releases However, her Rs 30 crore earnings for Rajamouli’s upcoming jungle adventure, currently known as SSMB29, set a new benchmark for female stars in Indian cinema.  Before Priyanka’s latest signing, Deepika Padukone held the record for the highest-paid Indian actress with her Rs 20 crore remuneration for Kalki 2898 AD. Alia Bhatt, a younger counterpart, is said to charge up to Rs 15 crore per film, while other leading actresses such as Kareena Kapoor Khan, Katrina Kaif, Kiara Advani, Nayanthara, and Samantha Ruth Prabhu reportedly earn Rs 10 crore or more per project.  Since moving to the US in 2015, Priyanka has made only sporadic appearances in Indian films. Her last theatrical release was The Sky Is Pink (2019), following Jai Gangaajal (2016). With inputs from Indian media