A photograph of the statue. (courtesy: PrabhasNetwork_)
SS Rajamouli's Baahubali series scripted a memorable chapter in the history of Indian cinema. Not many would disagree that the films blurred the boundaries between Bollywood and regional cinema. The first part of the series Baahubali: The Beginning was released in 2015, while its sequel, Baahubali: The Conclusion, came two years later in April 2017. The epic drama featured Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Anushka Shetty, Tamannaah Bhatia, and Ramya Krishnan among others. Not to forget, Baahubali: The Conclusion became the first Indian movie ever to collect over ₹ 1,000 crore (worldwide). The fan craze around the Baahubali series is unfathomable. This wax statue in Mysore is a testament to the statement. A fan page, dedicated to Prabhas, shared a photograph of a wax statue of the actor's character in the film. The picture was shared on X (formerly Twitter). Prabhas played the dual role of father and son, Amarendra Baahubali and Mahendra Baahubali, in the film.
While fans are in awe of Prabhas' popularity, Baahubali producer Shobu Yarlagadda is not very happy with the art. Reacting to the tweet, Shobu Yarlagadda said that they will be taking “immediate steps” to get the wax statue removed because it is not an “officially licensed work.” He wrote, “This is not an officially licensed work and was done without our permission or knowledge. We will be taking immediate steps to get this removed.”
Baahubali: The Beginning, at the time of its release in 2015, emerged as the highest-grossing film in India. It was the third highest-grossing Indian film worldwide. The film collected ₹ 650 crore.
Meanwhile, Prabhas is gearing up for the release of Saalar. The film, backed by Hombale Films, is eyeing a Christmas release this year. Saalar will clash with Shah Rukh Khan's Dunki at the box office.
Prabhas also has Kalki 2898 AD, co-starring Amitabh Bachchan and Deepika Padukone, lined up.