'Baahubali: The Epic': Decoding The Marketing Coup That Was 'Why Did Kattappa Kill Baahubali?'

Why did Kattappa kill Baahubali? The question shook a good section of the nation following the 2015 release of S.S. Rajamouli’s Baahubali: The Beginning, the Telugu war epic about a man (Prabhas) learning his true legacy. The film ended with a loyal Kattappa (Sathyaraj) ruefully driving a sword through him, leaving audiences shattered.

In the window between the ending of the film and the release of Baahubali: The Conclusion (2017), the question topped Google searches, found its way into election campaign references, was piggybacked into brand integrations and ads, and of course found a permanent place among pop culture touch points on the internet.

The films, which complete 10 years in 2025, are headed for a massive re-release on 31 October, as a re-edited combined film titled Baahubali: The Epic. Arka Media Works, the production company behind the two-part film series, was also the mastermind behind the marketing campaign.

Ahead of the re-release, co-founder of Arka Media Works, Shobu Yarlagadda, tells The Hollywood Reporter India about how they did it all and whether he would do it all over again.

Edited excerpts from the conversation:

THR India: Was the first part always meant to end with Kattappa killing Baahubali?

Shobu Yarlagadda: In the very beginning of the film, there’s a scene where Sathyaraj speaks to Kichcha Sudeep’s character in the armoury. In the original screenplay, Kattappa reveals killing Baahubali in the scene. About a month before release, [M.M.] Keeravani garu (sir) was composing the music, and he said, “You know, this should not be here, this should be at the end.” That’s when he told Rajamouli, who liked the idea. The rest is history.

THR India: At what point did Arka realise that this was something that needed to be aggressively marketed?

SY: We didn’t realise this was going to be such a big cliffhanger or talking point. That’s when the team said, “Let’s lean into it”. The #WKKB (Why did Kattappa Kill Baahubali?' hashtag was later coined by the team. Leading up to the trailer release for part two, it didn’t feel like an announcement of the movie’s release date, but rather the #WKKB release date. It became more than the title itself. Every communication, poster, teaser and trailer carried the #WKKB, and it became the singular messaging until the release of the second part.

THR India: What were the conversations with your in-house team regarding this? This was something that had never been done before.

SY: When we started production of in 2012, I had shopped around for a good marketing or promotional agency. But I was not convinced by any of the people I met; everyone was coming from a template-driven approach. But we had a lot more to convey and communicate to the fans as we went along, and it didn’t fit into the standard template of doing a song release and a trailer release. So eventually, I felt we needed to build our own team. They were very active throughout; there were almost 30 people.

THR India: When did you begin promoting the hashtag?

SY: It was probably from the second week onwards that we started seeing a growing conversation around that. In fact, a few months later, on Google, if you typed “Why”, the auto prompt would be: ‘Why did Kattappa kill Baahubali?’ Based on all that, we decided to lean in and amplify the buzz.

THR India: Several brands jumped onto the Kattappa marketing bandwagon. How did you look at that?

SY: Once the first part became successful, we had several brand integrations. Also, Rajamouli was equally passionate about reaching the audience, and when we suggested something, he was equally invested and helped elevate these ideas.

THR India: What was the funniest or strangest fan theory you’ve come across about Kattappa killing Baahubali?

SY: There were many crazy fan theories, but they were not just about why Kattappa killed Baahubali, but also about who Bhallaladeva’s wife could be!

THR India: Because movie marketing was very different in 2015, do you think a campaign like this would be possible for a film today?

SY: It might not be the same way, but it is possible. But things have changed since we started this in 2012. Social media was just starting, and the stickiness factor was much higher. Today, the stickiness factor has lowered the attention span of the audience. So, the way you engage has completely changed. But I still think you can build engaging campaigns if you invest more time than money.

THR India: Can you tell us about the re-release? How do you look back at the film at a time when it’s still resonating with so many people today?

SY: I am personally and emotionally invested in this, not just financially. There is a lot of attachment. And when I look back at the film now after 10 years, it still looks fresh. That’s what strikes me the most.

THR India: At any point during filming, did you ever expect this sort of reception for the film? Its filmmaking impact aside, the term ‘Baahubali’ carries so much meaning today.

SY: I would be lying if I said I did. Nobody can expect this. For someone to even imagine this is beyond my imagination. To be honest, it still hasn’t quite sunk in what we have achieved with this film or what the film achieved by itself. Today, Baahubali has become synonymous with anything ‘big’. Anything, anywhere big that happens is associated with Baahubali. It can be a cricket match or a space launch. If you have to describe something on a large scale, it is ‘Baahubali’.

THR India: Can you take this back to the first day of release? What were you feeling?

SY: There was hope, doubt and belief. We didn’t know which emotion dominated at that point. When the stakes are so high, it just gets amplified so much more. The word-of-mouth, especially in Telugu, changed drastically between the early morning and evening shows. But to answer your question, it was a very traumatic time!

THR India: When you look back at it all, do you think the stress was worth it now?

SY: Prabhas told my wife: “Whatever he did, he did…but ask him not to do this ever again.” So, while it is worth it, this is a once-in-a-lifetime, one-of-a-kind thing you would put your neck out for, and it’s not something I would do again.

To read more exclusive stories from The Hollywood Reporter India's October 2025 print issue, pick up a copy of the magazine from your nearest book store or newspaper stand.

To buy the digital issue of the magazine, please click here.