Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; March 17, 2017)

Fans of SS Rajamouli's Bahubali franchise have been on the tenterhooks after part 1 (2015) ended on a note of supense. However, the sequel's trailer, which was launched yesterday, promises to unlock the mystery to the past year's biggest question —why Kattappa killed Bahubali.

Cashing in on the hype around the second instalment, the makers have decided to re-release part one, a week before the sequel hits screens on April 28. This will be a relief to those who can only vaguely recall the plot of the 2015 film. Confirming the news, Rajamouli said, "I believe very few people missed it ([part 1) but re-releasing the film will pull everyone back into the narrative. We collectively arrived at the decision that it will be great idea to go ahead with a pan-India release."

The South blockbuster was among the most successful outings of the year, even making Rs 600 crore at the box office worldwide. Film co-producer Shobu Yarlagadda says, "The combined budget of both films is Rs 400-450 crore. We didn't earn profits for part one, but are sure of making a lot of money with the second film, which will compensate for the previous outing."

Meanwhile, the sequel's trailer was leaked online hours before the official launch. Apoorva Mehta, CEO-Dharma Productions, promoters of Bahubali 2, said, "It is disappointing and undermines the efforts of the producers, cast and crew. But, it's heartening to see Bahubali fans post messages online, assuring us that they will not promote the leaked content.''