Baahubali 2: Do you know which engine powered Bhalla's chariot?

Production designer Sabu Cyril's work in the Baahubali films was highly acclaimed. The Kochi native brought alive SS Rajamouli's ideas and mental images surpassing the limits of imagination and visualisation, whether it's the splendour of an ancient kingdom, the grandeur of the battle scenes or the natural beauty of the waterfalls and forests.

Cyril, who also worked an art director in the films, has revealed some of the secrets behind Baahubali 2, including the one behind the much-discussed chariot used by Rana Daggubati's character Bhallala Deva.

"Bhallala Deva's chariot was built around a Royal Enfield engine so that it would get the power and speed it required. We had done the same in the first part as well. The chariot also had proper car steering and a driver. We had great fun designing and making it," the 55-year-old said in an interview to Manorama Online.

Cyril also revealed that they set up Devasena's palace at an aluminium factory in Hyderabad.

"Devasena's palace had to look different from the Mahishmathi kingdom and didn't have to be as big. We felt it needed to look feminine and that's why we chose a white marble palace. It was made on four acres at an aluminium factory in Hyderabad," Cyril pointed out.

The four-time National Award winner also revealed that all animals, including elephants, horses and bulls, used in the films were made at the sets and required a lot of work to look real.

"None of the animals you see in the film are real. The elephant that appears in the opening scene of Baahubali 2 was one of the biggest challenges. We had to use 10 persons on the mechanical animal to pull off the elephant's salute scene. But I felt it was one of the best bits in the film," he added.

• Baahubali
• Sabu Cyril