OTT Review: Baahubali: Crown of Blood – Telugu dubbed series on Hotstar

The animated series Baahubali: Crown of Blood, set in the famous Baahubali franchise, is now streaming on Hotstar in multiple languages. Let’s see how the series is.

 

Story:

The series revolves around incidents that happened much before Bhallaladeva plotted Baahubali’s murder. Baahubali and Bhallaladeva join hands to protect Mahishmati from the warlord Raktadev. But to defeat Raktadev, the brothers have to face their mentor, Kattappa, the commander of the enemy army. Why did Kattappa become a traitor? Who is this Raktadev? Why does he want to destroy Mahishmati? This forms the crux of Baahubali: Crown of Blood

 

Plus Points:

The best thing about this animated series is the way the villain’s character is written and presented. The antagonist’s ideology and cruelness are neatly depicted, and this makes proceedings interesting as the show reaches the fag end. Scenes like Baahubali interacting with Ratkadev and Baahubali being indecisive due to a few circumstances are well executed.

There is also a surprise element in store for franchise lovers. The last four episodes are pretty engaging, with captivating battle scenes. The makers have come up with some crazy and creative ideas regarding the weapons and equipment used in warfare. These aspects looked super cool, and they offer a good experience. Baahubali’s style, swag, and traits are retained in this show as well.

 

Minus Points:

The Baahubali franchise is synonymous with Tollywood. Without an iota of doubt, Baahubali changed the dynamics of the Telugu film industry, and hence, the franchise is special to Telugu audiences in many ways. Unfortunately, the Telugu dubbing quality of this animated series is extremely poor, and it will even irritate hardcore franchise lovers. The original version (Hindi version) has the voices of those artists who dubbed for the film, and hence, this version looks authentic. Not enough care was taken regarding the Telugu dubbing, and this can change the overall perception about the series.

The most important reason why the Baahubali franchise became a monstrous success was because of Prabhas. His magical charm and stunning screen presence as Baahubali are unforgettable, but the animation quality of Baahubali’s character is terrible and doesn’t resemble Prabhas. The animation for other characters is good, but the same cannot be said about the protagonist.

One can see the twist regarding Kattappa’s character from miles away, and hence, there is a lack of intrigue. The initial episodes aren’t interesting. The USP of the Baahubali franchise is its heart-touching emotions, but they are missing in the show. Hence, there isn’t much to take away from Baahubali: Crown of Blood, and the cliffhanger isn’t impactful either.

 

Technical Aspects:

The music by Kaala Bhairava is just okay, and Keeravani’s magic isn’t recreated. The editing is crisp without lag, and each episode is 20 minutes long. The direction by Jeevan J Kang and Navin John isn’t great. The show lacks depth in terms of emotions, and the writing team could have done a far better job. Except for Baahubali’s character, the animation for other vital roles is satisfactory.

 

Verdict:

On the whole, Baahubali: Crown of Blood engages just in parts, but the overall experience is underwhelming. The initial episodes are dull, and the series picks up steam in the last few episodes. The villain’s characterization and the twists surrounding him are nicely depicted. The Telugu dubbing is pathetic, and emotions are not handled well. The series will appeal more to kids, but for others, it will end up being a below-par watch.

 

NOTE: We have had the opportunity to watch all the episodes and this rating is for the entire series

123telugu.com Rating: 2.75/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

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