SS Rajamouli’s ‘Baahubali’ and ‘Baahubali 2’ literally changed the game for Indian cinema and how. It is since ‘Baahubali’ that Pan India movies have come to the forefront and that’s when the trend began. Let’s just say that ‘Baahubali’ walked so that movies like ‘Pushpa’ could run. Now ‘Baahubali: The Epic’ which is a four-hour combined cut of the first two films of the saga has hit the marquee on October 31. The advance bookings are strong and the film could yet again be on its way to create history. The film has created waves at the box office even before its release. The advance bookings were off to a thunderous start, outperforming many mid-scale new releases, which is remarkable for a re-release title.
Headlined by Prabhas, with Rana Daggubati, Anushka Shetty, Tamannaah Bhatia, and Sathyaraj in pivotal roles, the film has already amassed ₹10 crore+ in global pre-sales, including premiere shows. Of this, India accounts for over ₹5 crore, while international bookings, led by strong demand in North America, contribute nearly the same amount.These figures already surpass the entire lifetime earnings of previous Indian re-releases, setting the stage for Baahubali: The Epic to emerge as the highest-grossing re-release in Indian cinema history. Industry trackers predict it could even become the first re-released film to breach the ₹100 crore mark.The film is also gearing up for a massive international rollout. In the United States, it will open across more than 400 screens, followed by 210 in the UK and Ireland, over 150 in the UAE and GCC, 144 in Australia and New Zealand, and 100+ screens in Southeast Asia. In total, the re-release spans 1,150+ theatres worldwide — the widest overseas footprint ever for an Indian re-release. At the moment, one sees that ‘Thamma’ and ‘Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat’ are running in theatres but with the release of ‘Baahubali: The Epic’, the demand for both these movies could go down. The number of screens may also reduce. The upcoming weekend will play a crucial role in determining which film is dominating at the theatres.
