The re-release of director S.S. Rajamouli’s monumental saga, Baahubali: The Epic—a combined cut of The Beginning and The Conclusion—has generated massive buzz, but also a wave of curiosity and a touch of heartbreak among fans. The big question on everyone’s mind is: Why was Tamannaah Bhatia’s beloved love song, "Pacha Bottesina," removed from the final version?

The master filmmaker has now offered a candid explanation, revealing the intense process behind trimming a nearly five-and-a-half-hour epic down to a manageable theatrical runtime.

The Runtime Dilemma: An Epic That Was Too Long

Rajamouli shared that when both parts of the Baahubali franchise were stitched together, the total duration, even after removing the rolling titles, clocked in at an impractical five hours and twenty-seven minutes. This lengthy runtime, though perhaps welcome to die-hard fans, was simply too long for a cohesive and engaging single theatrical experience.

To condense the two-part blockbuster into a single, seamless narrative, Rajamouli and his team undertook a surgical re-editing process, ultimately bringing the new runtime down to a sharp three hours and forty-three minutes. This drastic edit meant that some fan-favorite moments, unfortunately, had to be sacrificed.

The Price of a “Purely Story-Driven” Narrative

The director’s primary goal for Baahubali: The Epic was to make the film "purely story-driven," prioritizing the main plot points of legacy, war, and destiny. This commitment to a brisk narrative pace meant that sequences, however beautiful or popular, that didn't directly advance the core story were on the chopping block.

Among the major portions removed were the entire love track between Avanthika (Tamannaah Bhatia) and Shivudu/Mahendra Baahubali (Prabhas), and consequently, the visually stunning song "Pacha Bottesina." Other musical tracks, including "Kanna Nidurinchara," were also removed. Rajamouli acknowledged that even some emotional scenes and minor sequences from the grand war episodes had to be trimmed to maintain a continuous, high-speed flow.

The filmmaker even revealed that the first combined cut was about four hours and ten minutes long. It was only after conducting test screenings and incorporating audience feedback that they tightened the edit further to the final sub-four-hour runtime, ensuring the film’s emotional impact wasn't diluted by narrative pauses.

A Divided Fandom: Completeness vs. Cohesion

The news has stirred a debate among the dedicated Baahubali community. While Rajamouli’s dedication to a coherent, single-film experience is lauded, some fans feel a sense of loss. The romance between Avanthika and Shivudu, captured so beautifully in the songs, offered a vital emotional break from the political intrigue and war drama. For many, that subplot was essential in connecting the audience to the younger Baahubali's journey.

Ultimately, Rajamouli's decision highlights the difficult choices involved in re-crafting an epic. He sacrificed moments of beauty and popular songs to deliver a streamlined, punchier story for a new generation of viewers, focusing squarely on the central conflict between Prabhas and Rana Daggubati’s characters. Whether the film feels complete without the full romantic arc remains a fascinating point of discussion for cinephiles.
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