SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali changed Telugu cinema forever, taking Indian filmmaking to a global audience. But behind the blockbuster’s success lies a surprising moment when someone called Rajamouli’s work ‘useless Baahubali’ to his face.
The director who took Tollywood to Hollywood's level.
Director SS Rajamouli took Tollywood to a Hollywood level. He shocked Bollywood and Kollywood, who once looked down on Telugu films. Today, Indian cinema often means Tollywood, all thanks to him. His film Baahubali started the Pan-India trend. But guess who called this masterpiece a 'useless film' right in front of him? It was none other than his sister-in-law, MM Keeravani's wife, Valli.
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Baahubali's storm and box office records
Rajamouli started making 'Baahubali: The Beginning' in 2013 as a grand visual wonder. The film, starring Prabhas, Rana, Ramya Krishna, and Satyaraj, released in 2015. It earned over ₹650 crore worldwide and made Prabhas a Pan-India star. Its sequel, 'Baahubali: The Conclusion' (2017), smashed records, collecting over ₹1800 crore.
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The secret revealed by Natural Star Nani
Everyone knows about the close bond between director SS Rajamouli's and music director MM Keeravani's families. They work on all their films together. But a funny story about them is now going viral. It's about how Keeravani's wife, Srivalli (Valli), reacted to the blockbuster Baahubali. And the person who spilled this secret is Tollywood's 'Natural Star' Nani.
Hero Nani shared a fun incident that happened when Rajamouli's name was famous across India. Soon after Baahubali's release, Nani visited Rajamouli's house. The family was at the dining table when Rajamouli said, 'Let's go watch Baahubali again, book the tickets.' Valli, Keeravani's wife, shot back, 'Oh, you made one useless Baahubali film... and we have to go again?!' Nani quickly clarified that she didn't mean to insult him. Their family bond is just that honest. He called Valli a great critic who always gives blunt, truthful feedback on his own films too.
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Valli's role in the Baahubali project
Valli doesn't just comment on films; she plays a major role in making them. She was the line producer for the Baahubali project and handled key responsibilities. In Rajamouli's family, everyone takes on a different role in filmmaking. Nani has shared a close bond with the family since his film Eega. This incident shows that honest feedback from family, more than fake praise, is what helps a person succeed. Rajamouli's international success is clearly backed by his family's honest support.
