The Baahubali films (particularly Baahubali 2) are probably the most epic Indian films of all time. In fact, the movies are so badass, that they made waves outside of India too. In its opening weekend, Baahubali 2 grossed over US$ 10 million in the US, trumping The Circle, a movie that stars Emma Watson and Tom Hanks. At the end of its run, Baahubali 2 grossed over US$ 260 million worldwide with an estimated production budget of US$ 38 million (seven times less than the production budget of Justice League).
It’s evident that people all across the globe love these movies and that includes Black Panther‘s M’Baku himself, Winston Duke. In a series of Instagram stories, Winston Duke shared his love for the Baahubali films. This was originally picked up by an Indian film critic, Sahil Rizwan.
Loooove that M'Baku from 'Black Panther' is a Baahubali fan (and that he now seems more well-versed in the basics of Indian cinema than most Indians.) pic.twitter.com/dJYR0ZAcBd
— Sahil Rizwan (@SahilRiz) April 14, 2018
Baahubali 1 & 2 are epic fantasy films in the vein of The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones. It is set in ancient India, in which a young man gets entangled in a decades-old feud between members of a royal family. If you’re a fan of sword and sandals epics, heck, if you’re a fan of cinema, then this is a must-watch! Hopefully, the Baahubali films gain even more awareness after Winston Duke’s endorsement. Winston Duke will be kicking ass (or getting his ass kicked by Thanos) in the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War.
Indian cinema isn’t what it used to be anymore. That bullshit you hear about people dancing around trees doesn’t happen anymore (fine, for the most part). Whether it’s fantasy epics or grounded and gritty dramas — Iraivi, Visaranai — there are loads of great movies coming out of this South East Asian country.
Recently, acclaimed, Oscar-nominated director Christopher Nolan, known for The Dark Knight Trilogy, Inception, and Dunkirk, expressed his interest in Indian cinema. On a visit to India, Nolan had this to say:
“I have watched some Indian cinema, just not enough though. But I enjoyed the films a lot and would love to watch more of them.”
If you’re interested in catching Baahubali 1 & 2, they’re currently available to stream on Netflix.
