‘Baahubali’ rakes in RM686 million

MUMBAI: An epic battle movie from one of India’s lesser-known film industries has trumped Bollywood by becoming the country’s highest-grossing film.

Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, the final instalment of a two-part fantasy adventure, has made more than 10 billion rupees (RM686 million) worldwide since hitting screens on April 28, according to experts.

The south Indian movie, which is laden with special effects, has surpassed 2014 Bollywood blockbuster PK, which made around US$120 million.

“Baahubali 2 has crossed 1,000 crore (10 billion rupees) in world collections, outdoing Aamir Khan’s PK, which was previously the No. 1 Indian film worldwide,” said film trade analyst Ramesh Bala.

Baahubali, meaning “The One With Strong Arms”, tells the story of two warring brothers battling for control of a fictional Indian kingdom and its elaborate scenes has seen it compared to hit American movie 300. AFP

AP PIC A miner receiving treatment after being rescued from the Jilinqiao coal mine in Youxian county, central China’s Hunan province, yesterday.