The much awaited SS Rajamauli’s magnum opus, epic fantasy, Indian blockbuster drama has finally hit the screen: Baahubali-2: the Conclusion. As it is breaking the records after records, the obvious question seeking answer, “Why did Kattappa kill Baahubali [Bahubali]?” is fading its attraction as it has already answered in the movie. I am not going to critique the movie here, rather trying to analyze ‘the Kattappas’ and ‘Baahubalis’ of our time.
In the epic blockbuster, Kattappa is a loyal servant of the Mahishmati Kingdom. He is a servant, slave, loyal warrior, army chief, and a good sensible and loving human being who looked for the good of the people. Even when fighting against the enemies, he is trying to protect innocent people, women and children. On the other hand, Baahubali is an upright heir of the kingdom. But his cousin, Ballaladeva wins over the mother through crooked method and rules the kingdom. Jealousy and power craziness of Bijjaladeva and his son Ballaladeva could not resist the overwhelming popularity of Baahubali and not being able to resist it, orders Kattappa, the army chief to kill him.
But, how can a morally upright person, Kattappa stab and kill a morally upright person, Baahubali, that too not from the front but from behind? If he does so, either there must be a real reason for it or he may be a morally right person from mere outer appearance. The second possibility is ruled out as he takes the side of justice towards the end of the movie. Therefore, Kattappa becomes a potential a victim of the political game played by the anarchists. This has to be underlined with bold letters from the movie. Thus, the movie has answer the question.
A cursory look into the plot would bring to the notice the war between Kaurava and Pandavas at the Kurukshetra battle field, a war between one’s own kith and kin for the sake of land and power, geared by selfishness and pride. At this point of view, Kattappa stands as a grand old seer, Bhishma. As an upright grand old man of Mahishmati he could not part away from the pledged loyalty when he sensed the plot to kill the upright man. How can he run away from the loyalty? He is tied down from two angles. Firstly, being a warrior and the duties arising from it. Secondly, his vowed loyalty inherited from the past. The second aspect is clarified from the name he is holding – Katta. Among Telugu people, Katta represents an OBC/SBC caste (see, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katta. I am sure, the director did not have this in his mind when he named the character Kattappa. Anyway, as the hermeneutical rule says when the author scripts a piece of idea, it becomes open for criticism). The general ethos of the epic time is, the people of the lower strata have their morality based on the people of higher strata. Due to this mental set up, the lower graded people remain where they are. Even if they are right, they have no voice.
Can there be a hierarchical morality, a morality specific to specific order of people? If so, we need to redefine our morality. In other words, in such situation, can there be universal moral norms. As ordinary human beings we believe in some sort of universal moral law binding every one. When the justice is blind and legality is a utopia moral values ceases to exist. The colour blind person sees everything dark. This is nothing what is happening in our socio-political scenario.
A group of anarchists, fundamentalists, Bijjaladevas and Ballaladevas are human shielding the innocent and righteous people in front of them to protect their machismo and chauvinism. They just order and celebrate the victory earned by their blood and head and finally play the dice of politics. Do they have any concern for the rage they face at the war? Absolutely no. Their chief concern is money, power and prestige. One may take the example of Kashmir issue, border issues, Naxalism and its combat, ethnic fights in many parts of the country etc. The farmer is squeezing his blood and sweat and tries to earn his daily bread for him and his family. What does he gain? A pittance! The market is ruled by the elite, price is decided by them, profit is for them, lion share of percentage is theirs, and what not else?! The poor farmer, looking at the sky, waiting for the rain, chasing the wild beasts, running behind the officers and offices for grants assured, is being squeezed like laundry clothes.
Government needs land for development and it is the need of the time. But what kind of land? Whose land? Who needs? For what purpose? It is the land of the innocent. Government wants to give the land to Adani, Ambani, Birla, Tata and other hundreds of MNCs to put up their towers and companies. Will the real land owners benefit? They will never benefit. The companies will earn hundreds and thousands of crores per day, but the ordinary people will get only dust storm and polluted air, but not even an assurance of job in those companies. They will not get job offers, because they are not skilled workers! What a paradox, the company CEOs are looking for skilled artisanship from the poor peasant! They forget that the food they eat is the labour of their skills. In spite of this ill treatment, will the peasants stop cultivating? They will never stop, because they have pledged loyalty to their mother earth. They have pledged to feed the country. This pledge is made by their ancestors and the loyalty will continue till the end of humanity. Every suffering servant is crying out, “Why do you persecute me?” Will the authorities hear this silent cry of the peasants? Will their conscience get converted? If so when?
If this is one side of the story, there is another side of the story which is still unheard of, the story of Baahubali. They are the people who fight for justice in somewhat visible way. They are the people like Gandhiji.
Baahubali literally means the person with strong shoulders. As the character depicts, Baahubali is not only strong in arms but also in head and heart. Baahubali depicts those people who have strong moral uprightness, sound philosophy, ethics and sound inter-personal relationship with humans and cosmos. They are the makers, care-takers and protectors of the society. They are the people like Gandhi. But, will their philosophy of non-violence, truth, justice, peace, harmony, brotherhood, goodness and social integrity be acceptable to all? It becomes a Platonic ideal for those who look for self-gain. A question can be asked here, “Why did Godse kill Gandhi?” Several answers may pop up and some may justify the act. But, the morally upright person will never justify the very act of Godse.
Today there are several Gandhians in the society. While some are being murdered, others are either silenced or threatened of their existence. Often times good people are brainwashed to perform heinous acts. One of the High Court judges recently said, “Terrorists are not born, they are made.” How true are these words! Several political leaders cannot live without having their own body-guards or their own ruffians to deal with the so called innocent rough people! Some are even more than this. Once a ruffian, and now becomes a political leader and eventually emerges as the representative in the democratically elected government to rule us all. Amidst these elements, will the real Baahubali survive?
The movie, Baahubali has offered us something to chew. As I congratulate the director, pause couple of questions to all my readers, “why did Kattappa kill Baahubali then? Why the Kattappas and Baahubalis are being killed in our societies today?”
Fr. Raju Felix Crasta
