Baahubali may be remembered as one of Indian cinema’s most legendary epics turned global phenomenon, but its journey began with an unexpected hurdle - following of the undisputed Pan-India superstar, Prabhas! On the very first day of filming, the team attempted to shoot an outdoor sequence in Kurnool featuring Prabhas and Rana Daggubati. However, what happened next took the makers by complete surprise. Cinematographer KK Senthil Kumar recently shared the experience on the Torch Bearers Podcast. He recalled how the shoot turned chaotic due to the overwhelming crowd gathered just to catch a glimpse of Prabhas.
He recalls, “It was unbelievable. Thousands of people had lined up. We didn’t expect so many people to turn up for a film like this. No matter where we placed the camera, people would still be in the shot, despite our attempts to move them. We had to pack up and try the next day. But still, people came; it was impossible to shoot,”.
This event took the team by surprise. Senthil further added, “Yes, Prabhas was a big star, but this was before Baahubali had even been released. After Baahubali, he has become ten times bigger. Now, let alone India, we cannot shoot with him outdoors in Japan, too.”The situation reached a point where filming became impossible to execute. As a result, the entire footage from day one was scrapped. The team shifted the shoot indoors and reshot everything.
This incident not only reflects the magnitude of Prabhas’ fanbase but also how Baahubali elevated his stardom to a global scale. From Kurnool to Japan, making any outdoor shoot a near-impossible task.This unforgettable incident perfectly sums up Prabhas’ unmatched fandom - the actor’s massive popularity continues to transcend borders; what started as crowd chaos in Kurnool has now evolved into global admiration.