The Rise of Sivagami – Book Review

Book 1 of Baahubali – Before the Beginning

I became a fan of the Baahubali series quite by accident. As a person living under a giant rock, I had not watched Baahubali the Beginning back in 2015 because I simply cannot wait for a question to be answered in 2 years. So when Baahubali: The Conclusion released this year, some of my friends urged me to watch it in the theater.  A friend named Shashank also told me about this prequel book named “Rise of Sivagami” which was apparently a must read!

It was then when I watched the first part at home that too in Tamil with English subtitles. Obviously I loved the larger than life movie affair. Needless to say I booked tickets for the 2^nd part ASAP and OH BOY the experience was unforgettable!

The movie was magnificent, a completely out-of-the-world fantasy! Also it did not hurt that the protagonist and the antagonist were pleasing to the eye! (Especially Rana Daggubati)

Anyhoo I am not writing this for the movie review but the book review of ‘Rise of Sivagami’ which was released in March 2017. The moment I returned home after the movie I just had to buy the ebook version of “Rise of Sivagami”

Normally we see that Literature has given birth to stunning characters on big screen time and again, but I guess it is the first time that a screenplay has created such formidable characters that they had to be given a prequel of their own in terms of books.

Anand Neelkanthan (The Author) and S.S. Rajamouli (The Director) created the perfect combination of a Mother, Warrior and a Ruler with Sivagami, portrayed with excellence by Ramya Krishnan. First of the Trilogy, this book is an Origin Story of sorts if you may call it. We get to know why the characters are the way they are like Sivagami who wants to burn Mahishmati to the ground, Kattappa who is emotionally torn apart between his Faith and brother’s love and Bijaladeva the arrogant, loathsome and entitled young Prince. The story unfolds with a steady pace and we know nothing is as it seems. Behind the curtains, the peaceful State of Mahismati is dark and treacherous.

Verdict: Anyone and everyone who loves fiction and historic fiction and are Baahubali fans must read this book to understand the origin stories and derive pure satisfaction. 

Jai Mahishmati!!!