Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; April 26, 2017)

In two days, the answer to 2015's biggest question — Kattappa ne Bahubali ko kyun maara — will be unlocked as Prabhas-starrer Baahubali: The Conclusion hits screens. As a build up to its release and to refresh the memory of fans, the makers had announced that the Hindi version of part one, Bahubali: The Beginning, would be re-released across 1,000-odd screens across India. Those hoping to catch it at the eleventh hour will find it at only two centres in Mumbai.

A multiplex each in Ghatkopar (East) and Andheri (West) has dedicated only one show a day to the SS Rajamouli war drama. So has a high-end cinema in Thane and another in Kalyan. In New Delhi, it is being screened at just one theatre.

Director S S Rajamouli had earlier told mid-day, “I believe very few people missed it but re-releasing the film will pull everyone back into the narrative.” That was imperative since the second part will be a continuation of the story, unlike in the case of most other movie franchises. Two years since the original release, fans are struggling to recall every detail.

Borivali resident Divya Kashyap says, “I wanted to catch part 1 before part 2 to be able to remember the chronology of events. Even the scene where Kattappa admits admits to have killed Baahubali is a blur. There aren’t enough shows in Mumbai at a convenient time for me to watch; the closest is at a Goregaon theatre. One cannot possibly remember exact details of a film they watched two years ago.”

Mahim-based Anubha Sharma says, “Baahubali 1 re-released at limited theatres. I have to jog my memory to recollect the finer details, or buy a DVD of first part before walking in for the second.”

Production insiders claim, “It was supposed to be a symbolic release. Fans cannot forget Baahubali; they have seen it on TV umpteen times. There were plans [for a wider re-release], but it clashed with new films and at most places, they could manage only one show.”

The film will have its premiere at an Andheri multiplex on April 27. Invites have been sent to the who’s who of B-Town. A classic red carpet event has been planned; props and artworks from the film’s set have been procured to give the venue a larger-than-life feel.