Director Ishan Shukla’s life has never been devoid of art. His father had been a theatre artist, who directed, wrote and starred in stage plays. His mother was a professional classical singer who used to sing for All India Radio. And now Ishan is coming up with Baahubali - The Eternal War Part 1, the next stop in his artistic journey. “I had a lot of books lying around, and there were no restrictions on what I could read. When I could understand the language of storytelling, I started writing them,” says Ishan, adding, “My stories were out of the ordinary, and I knew it cannot fit into the live-action medium."
Baahubali - The Eternal War Part 1 is the latest in the world of Baahubali, which began with SS Rajamouli’s 2015 film Baahubali: The Beginning. After two movies, books, and an animated show, this film will be the latest in the ever-expanding universe.
When asked the reasons for splitting the story of Baahubali - The Eternal War into two films, Ishan explains, “We are moving into various realms with a lot of new characters, and a lot of world building. The film is in a mini epic in itself, and that cannot be told in a single film."
Speaking about the audience for animated projects in India, Ishan says, “During COVID lockdown, when streaming became very big, people were consuming a variety of content, but a new generation of anime fans was born in India. From there a lot of creators and viewers arose.” However, Ishan understands that this industry is still in its nascent stages, and it will be a while before Indian animation takes the world by storm. "Disney, when they started out, used existing folk tales, and in Japan, the inspiration was from manga. So the stories from the Hindu pantheon, which are begging to be told, are the ones to be adapted in this early era. So down the road, after these stories are told, we will see a new surge of different stories,” points out Ishan.
But telling stories from the Hindu pantheon has to be done with care considering the impact of such stories in our collective psyche. “There are things in the Indian epics, which should be taken sensitively. So producer Shobu Yarlagadda brought in a spiritual teacher from Varanasi, who doubled up as a script consultant. We are making sure that it is as authentic as possible.”
The trailer for Baahubali - The Eternal War Part 1, revealed a deceased Amarendra Baahubali, transcending realms, and facing off against the King of the Devas, Indra. But it faced flak for its representation of the Hindu divinity. “I think it is too early to judge. There is a much larger story, and when audiences watch the film, they will understand,” explains the director.
Baahubali - The Eternal War Part 1 also drew comparisons with projects like Arcane or the Spider-Verse films, for the animation style. “If you see an early 2000s Disney or Pixar movie, it will look similar, as the style of that era was realistic 3D animation. Now we are seeing a surge of graphic styles, which is a blend of comic book and anime, and highly stylised CG animation,” explains Ishan, adding, “So we used the style of contemporary animations, and avoid using dated styles or hyper-realistic styles that might give it a video game feeling.”
Explaining where India stands in the arena of mainstream theatrical animation, Ishan says that it is only a matter of time before the creation of India’s own animation style.
Also touching upon the new AI challenge that has taken over arts and artists, a confident Ishan says, “It will take some time before AI seeps into our workflows. Although it is helping in planning, there is a personal signature to each work of art. AI cannot mimic that.”
The trailer for Baahubali - The Eternal War Part 1 also revealed that Prabhas and Ramya Krishan will be part of the film. Remaining tight-lipped about the rest of the cast, Ishan signs off by exuding optimism about the film's release in 2027. “For now, there is a lot to be done on the two movies, and we are at the cusp of something pretty exciting, challenging, and very satisfying.”
