SS Rajamouli opens up about ‘Baahubali: The Eternal War Part 1’ at Annecy 2026 in France; promises fans ‘We’ll do it the best we can’ – WATCH |

Filmmaker SS Rajamouli took a break from his ‘Varanasi’ shoot to head to Frace to interact with fans and share new details about ‘Baahubali: The Eternal War Part 1’.The director, acclaimed for his film ‘RRR’, attended a presentation at the 2026 Annecy International Film Festival of Animation in France, and explained why the franchise is making the jump to animation after two successful films – ‘Baahubali’ and ‘Baahubali: The Conclusion’.

SS Rajamouli addresses fans at Annecy 2026

Speaking at the event, Rajamouli spoke about the expansion of the ‘Baahubali’ universe and its deep-rooted connection with Indian mythology, he said at the event, “‘Baahubali’ is significantly inspired by Indian mythology, you all know. Indian mythological stories are huge, huge and never-ending. The characters are so descriptive that they can be described in such vivid words. the mythology, we were very limited by the limitations of cinema we weren’t doing justice,” said Rajamouli.

SS Rajamouli on the idea behind ‘Baahubali: The Eternal War Part 1’

The director went on to share his ‘secret’ saying, “So, impossible, what we chose to do was that the core characterization, the code culture, remained deeply rooted in India, but we chose a visual language, which was universal. Where a part of the audience sees the film, they can immediately connect with it.”Reflecting on the success of the original Baahubali films, he explained that the creative team expanded the franchise through comics and animated series, but felt that they had yet to achieve the impact of the live-action films. That changed when director Ishan Shukla came up with an idea that explored “What if Amarendra Baahubali (after his death) enters the 14 realms of Indian mythology?”

SS Rajamouli on making ‘Baahubali: The Eternal War Part 1’ an animated film

Calling it “exactly the kind of kick we needed to continue the Baahubali franchise in the way we originally intended,” Rajamouli added, “In India, unfortunately, animation is seen as child’s play. [medium]no more than that. And we were thinking, how do we do that? Then the possibility arose: why are we only looking at India as a market? We will do it for the world stage. We will do it in the best possible way.“He added that the team has brought together some of the best animation studios and creative talent in the industry to bring Shukla’s vision to life. “Whatever great idea Ishan Shukla has come up with, we have to give it the best possible shape… and start making The Eternal War,” he said.

Japanese Studio Joins ‘The Eternal War Part 1’

According to Variety, Japan’s acclaimed animation studio Studio Khara, best known for the Evangelion franchise, has teamed up with the upcoming animated feature film ‘Baahubali: The Eternal War Part 1’ to produce an animated sequence dedicated to the film.The collaboration has been facilitated by Japanese production company SlowCurve, who will oversee production planning and coordination between the Japanese and international creative teams.

Prabhas returns as Baahubali

Returning to the world of Baahubali, Prabhas will reprise his role from the live-action films, lending his voice to Amarendra Baahubali. Ramya Krishnan also returns as the voice of Sivagami. Academy Award-winning composer MM Keeravani, who wrote for both RRR and the original Baahubali films, is composing the music for the animated feature.

“Baahubali: The Eternal War Part 1” Plot Details.

Set in the aftermath of the end of ‘Baahubali: The Beginning’, the film follows the betrayed and murdered prince Amarendra Baahubali into the afterlife, where he is drawn into an ancient cosmic war between devas and asuras. Navigating 14 realms of existence, forge an unlikely alliance and fight to restore balance to the cosmos.

SS Rajamouli meets fans

After the event, SS Rajamouli was seen taking a break outside the event. There, he was seen taking time to greet his fans, sign autographs and even pose for selfies. In videos posted online, fans were seen approaching the director and sharing their fondness for his work in films like ‘Baahubali’ and ‘RRR’.