Baahubali: Crown Of Blood Season 1 Review : SS Rajamouli’s animated series adds another thrilling chapter to the epic ‘Baahubali’ saga

Story: This animated series will take us back in time on an epic journey of the clash of the empires where Baahubali and Bhallaladeva join hands to protect the great kingdom of Mahishmati and the throne against their greatest threat.

Review: Created by SS Rajamouli and Sharad Devarajan and directed by Jeevan J Kang and Naveen John, this nine-part animated series is set before the events of 'Baahubali: The Beginning (2015)' and 'Baahubali: The Conclusion (2017)'. The prequel follows the young princes Baahubali (voice of Sharad Kelkar) and Bhallaladeva (voice of Manoj Pande) as they confront the formidable threat of Raktadeva aka Kaaldhoot (voice of Rajesh Khattar), who poses a significant danger to Mahishmati. The series explores themes of empire-building, power, and the clash of ideologies between the protagonists and their antagonist.

What remains in the plot are Baahubali’s dreams of an empire held together by the unifying values of oneness, and Bhallaladeva's desire to conquer everything and everyone with his unrivaled might. And then the new and the greatest challenge they both face: Raktadeva, who was raised in the forge of the slave mines out of hatred and pain. He gathers an army of followers who believe that justice can only be won with a single stroke of the sword.

‘Baahubali: Crown of Blood’ onerously carries the equity of the films on its shoulders and ups the scale on many counts—especially in heroism. This action-heavy plot begins immediately, but the drama takes some time to capture your attention. However, the backstories of the characters, especially of Bijjaldeva (voiced by Deepak Sinha) and others, are well-developed. There are many exciting battle sequences including the one that pits Baahubali and Bhallaladeva against Kaaldhoot.

The conversations appear hackneyed at times, lessening the impact of dramatic moments. For instance, in the final combat scene, Baahubali asks Kaaldhoot “Mahishmati se itni nafrat kyu? (why he hates Mahishmati so much)." And Kaaldhoot replies, “Nafrat itna chota shabd hain; jo mein tumhare pariwar ke liye mehsoos karta hoon voh nafrat se bahut badsoorat hain, bahut ganda hain. (Hate is a small word; what I feel for your family is much worse than that). In addition, the lip-syncing of dialogues looks a bit off in some places.

The presentation of such a grand film leaves viewers with high expectations, but the series falls short of meeting those assurances. The characters, their designs and the background is impactful, but a live-action movie with such a story would have been more entertaining.

Actor Sharad Kelkar (who dubbed for the titular character of Baahubali for the Hindi versions of the films) has also voiced Baahubali in the series, which lends credibility to his role. The narration by Samay Thakkar, as Katappa, appears to enrich the storytelling experience.

The introduction of new characters, such as Raktadeva, who is as powerful as any other enemy Mahishmati has ever encountered, and Koteshwar (voiced by Pramod Mathur), an elderly man suffering from Raktadeva, seeks Baahu's help. Both of them have interesting character arcs. Rajesh Khatter’s voice provides valuable support for the huge beast Raktadeva. The other voice artists, Mausam as Sivagami and Deepak Sinha as Bijjaldeva, are fairly average.

Though the show concludes on a satisfying note, the inclusion of new characters and their ties to Mahishmati expands the narrative scope, setting the stage for further chapters in this epic saga. Overall, while ‘Baahubali: Crown of Blood’ may not fully live up to the lofty expectations set by the live-action films, it successfully leverages its format to provide deeper insights into the Baahubali universe.

To conclude, ‘Baahubali: Crown of Blood’ is a promising addition for fans eager to explore more of the world and characters they love.