Baahubali a Hindutva imagination

It has been ten years since the release of *Bahubali: The Beginning*, prompting a re-examination of the nuanced Indian mythos created by S.S. Rajamouli. From a writing perspective, the film stands as one of the best-written movies of all time, employing a complex structure of interwoven plots, subplots, and modular character arcs. The objective of this analysis is to explore this cinematic literature, which serves as a complex compilation of the Hindutva imagination of Indian society, rendered through its various character and storylines.

Creation of a New Nationalist Myth and Subversion and Co-option of Tribal Identity

The film establishes a benevolent idea of god through the protagonists' journeys, promoting a vision of leadership and divinity that is inherently good and just. This framework demands devotion over critique, a dynamic that can legitimize authoritarian power structures. This is introduced by the explicit identification of both Amarendra Baahubali, who recognizes himself as Shiva in Kundala, and Mahendra Baahubali, who has a similar realization among the tribes. This defines the king merger of political authority with divine sanction.

The film presents a homogenized, Brahminical version of Shiva, drawing from the Shaivite tradition. This erases the diverse, often non-Brahminical, folk interpretations of Shiva prevalent across India. The tribals in the film, who in reality might have distinct deities and practices, are shown worshipping the same Brahminical Shiva linga and adorning Brahminical tilaks, thereby assimilating them into a dominant Hindu narrative.

Reinforcement of Patriarchy through a Female Agent

The narrative reinforces patriarchal structures through the powerful figure of Sivagami, the queen mother. While she is a strong woman, her authority is used to uphold and validate the kingdom's patriarchal laws, ensuring they remain unquestioned. This allows the story to feature a "strong woman" while ultimately ensuring that the traditional social order male lineage and dynastic rule remains unchallenged, aligning with the Hindutva model where women are powerful but primarily as upholders of tradition and culture.

Narrative of Rightful Restoration and Historical Injustice

Bhallaladeva, is not merely a villain but represents a corrupt, illegitimate rule ,contrary to the god like king, Amarendra Baahubali. This mirrors the idea of historical victimhood, where foreign invasions and certain dynasties are portrayed as periods of darkness that disrupted a golden age of Hindu rule. The rightful heir, Mahendra Baahubali, from an ignorant tribal boy to the savior of Mahishmati is a metaphor for reawakening and reclamation. His literal and symbolic ascent to the waterfall to claim his birthright aligns perfectly with the Hindutva project of "reclaiming" India's glory and restoring its perceived authentic, pre-invasion identity.

Reinforcement of Caste Identity

The film reinforces caste identity through characters like Kumara Varman, who begins as a weak character but emerges as a courageous warrior upon confronted with a situation., an arc backed by dialogue emphasizing his Kshatriya roots. This reinforces the inherent link between warrior status and Kshatriyahood. This concept is further explored legitimize the journey of Shiva(Mahendran Bahubali), explain how a tribal boy could suddenly become a warrior. The narrative suggests that for Bahubali, a single moment of pain was adequate to unlock his inherent Kshatriyahood, thereby reinforcing the casteist notion that bloodlines determine skills and talent.

Devasena as the "Alien" or "Invader"

Devasena's arrival is not just a plot point but a symbolic representation of an external force disrupting a settled order, leading to a clash of value systems and an eventual political takeover. In Indian iconography, the elephant pillar she topples is a symbol of stability, royal power, and foundational law. Devasena herself represents a value system of righteous individualism and meritocratic honor, she is a warrior princess valued for her own skills and will, whose allegiance is to dharma (righteousness) rather than blind loyalty to a corrupt throne. Her rise to power through Mahendra Baahubali illustrates how contemporary Indian society adopted some modern values, such as those championed by reformers like Ambedkar, while keeping the underlying social structure of exploitation intact. This reflects a social hypocrisy that began with resistance but ended with the internalization of select modern ideals without fundamentally altering the traditional hierarchy.