People want film experience to go beyond theatres: Rana Daggubati

Actor Rana Daggubati, whose Baahubali films redefined Indian cinema in many ways, says that there is value in building a franchise out of a movie nowadays.

The Baahubali universe has been expanded with comics and video games. Rana says, “Today’s value is in the franchise. Not just in the film called Baahubali but the entire idea of the world of Mahishmati. People live these characters in their minds and want their experiences to transcend beyond just those few hours in theatres. As creators and storytellers, we should recognise the value of what we already are.”

The actor stresses on the idea of storytelling and how it is deeply rooted in the Indian culture and says that it is highly-valued internationally, too.

“The depth that mythological characters of India have is enormous. What is important is how we can build that content, make it relevant to the Indian audience, and take it to an international level,” he says.

He also shares how Japan has become one of the countries that have shown interest in Indian mythology and storytelling. In fact, he says people in Japan preferred watching Baahubali in Telugu with Japanese subtitles. As an advice for upcoming entrepreneurs and storytellers, Rana shares, “There is no mantra that anyone can teach you. Your mantra can only come from within you, from your beliefs sculpted by your experiences, your failures, more than your successes.”

A stll from Taare Zameen Par

A still from The Karate Kid