Not Prabhas, but Hrithik Roshan was first choice for Baahubali? Producer Shobu Yarlagadda has finally revealed the truth
For years, fans have speculated that Hrithik Roshan was once considered for the Baahubali's role, and now producer Shobu Yarlagadda has finally cleared the air
For years, rumours have swirled around one of India’s biggest blockbuster franchise — Baahubali — suggesting that Hrithik Roshan was originally approached to play the now-iconic role essayed by Prabhas. But producer Shobu Yarlagadda has finally set the record straight, putting an end to all speculation.
“There’s one more thing that I’ll only bring up, because I see all this online chatter that we asked Hrithik and all that for Prabhas’ role in Baahubali. That never happened, from Day 1 it was Prabhas,” he revealed in a recent interview with Gulte.
Yarlagadda explained that the character was written with Prabhas in mind from the very beginning, and there were no auditions or offers made to any other actors. It’s a revelation that may surprise fans who have long believed Hrithik was once in the running for the role.
Director SS Rajamouli's take on the casting
Interestingly, Baahubali director SS Rajamouli has had a long-standing admiration for Hrithik Roshan — albeit with a comment that stirred up controversy years ago. Back in 2009, while at an event promoting Meher Ramesh’s Billa, Rajamouli had said, “When Dhoom 2 released two years ago, I wondered why only Bollywood can make such quality films. Don’t we have heroes like Hrithik Roshan? I just saw the songs, poster and trailer of Billa, and I can only say one thing. Hrithik Roshan is nothing in front of Prabhas. I’d like to thank Meher Ramesh (director) for taking Telugu cinema to Hollywood level.”
However, the filmmaker has since reflected on his words. In a video shared by Reuters via ANI, Rajamouli clarified, “It was long, long back — I think some 15-16 years back. But yeah, my choice of words wasn’t good, I must admit it. My intention was never to degrade him, I respect him a lot. It is long back.”
Baahubali: The Epic's theatrical release
Now, Rajamouli is ready to bring the world of Baahubali back to the big screen with Baahubali: The Epic, a combined version of Baahubali and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion. The re-release is slated for October 31.
Meanwhile, fans have noticed that both Baahubali films have quietly disappeared from Netflix, sparking curiosity ahead of the theatrical release. Whether you’re Team Prabhas or Team Hrithik, one thing’s clear — Baahubali’s legacy continues to dominate conversations years after its first roar.
