Being avid followers of English TV Series, we came across many fan theories for several shows like The Westworld, Game of Thrones etc on websites like Reddit. Then we thought about writing a fan theory for our very own Baahubali and wanted to give it a shot. Considering the very minimum resources we have, we came up with one. Before you dive in, we just want to make sure these may come true or we may have gone horribly wrong. It’s our love for Telugu cinema that is making us come up with this.

So let’s start with Saahore Baahubali song. Although it’s a 4 minute song in the jukebox we feel that the song will be used in 3 different situations. The first part of the song being used at the point of Amarendra Baahubali’s pattabishekam. The second part between Sivudu and Devasena. The third part of the song when Mahendra Baahubali conquers the throne.

Coming to the main question, Why kattappa killed baahubali, we came up with a sequence of events derived from the first part, trailer and saahore baahubali promo. The sequence is as follows (not in a chronological order).

Baahubali’s Pattabhishekam: Right after the victory over Kaalakeya’s army, Baahubali is crowned as the king of Maahishmati.

2. Baahubali meeting Devasena: Remember the part where Baahubali and Bhallaladeva goes in search of Sakethudu, the one who steals the battle secrets of Maahishmati.

This is the time when baahubali enters kunthala raajyam in search of saakethudu as a common man and falls in love with Devasena. we are also guessing that this is the time when bhallaladeva is humiliated by devasena (possibly by rejecting bhallaladeva and choosing baahubali over him) which makes him to hold grudge against kunthala raajyam (nannu vaddu anukunnav, vaade kavalanukunnav).

3. Devasena sneaking into Maahishmati (or) Devasena fighting off Maahishmati sodiers in Kunthala:

This shot has led us into many confusions during our discussion.

Possibility 1: Devasena is trying to get into Maahishmati during the battle between two kingdoms. But the only possibility of this war is during the death of Baahubali which means she should be pregnant or not in a state to battle so we came to a conclusion that this sneak-in happens after Baahubali is crowned as a king. Devasena believed that he is a common man all along, but when she breaks into the castle we have two possibilities here, a) she is either shocked to see Bhallaladeva in the castle and then Baahubali comes into the scene and convinces her to return to Kunthala. b) she is shocked to see Baahubali as a king for the first time and then he convinces her to return to Kunthala.

Possibility 2: Baahubali as a king had to order the army to go against Kunthala but due to his love for Devasena goes to Kunthala as a common man since he can’t do anything against the kingdom as a king and fights off the Maahishmati soliders when he finds that they are the men sent by Bhallaladeva to avenge Devasena’s rejection.

Devasena sneaks into Maahishmati

4. Baahubali marrying Devasena: Since Devasena is furious on Baahubali for lying about his identity, he goes back to Kunthala as a common man to convince her and somehow ends up marrying her.

Kunthala Raajyam. Notice the wall around the fort.

5. Baahubali and Devasena return to Maahishmati: After their marriage, they return to Maahismathi with all the grandeur but Bijjaladeva opposes this event for the enmity they have with Kunthala Raajyam from ages ago. He says that he can’t be a king after he married Devasena. He asks to choose between throne and love. Baahubali chooses love. Sivagami is also forced to agree for the logic Bijjala has brought up.

Hamsa Naava arriving in Maahishmati. Hamsa being the sigil of Kunthala Raajyam.

6. Dethroning Baahubali: As baahubali steps down, Bhallaladeva becomes king and Baahubali is appointed as the commander in chief. We are also guessing that this is the point where hints of dislike for Baahubali starts within Sivagami.

Notice Rana in the background as a king.

7. Kunthala becoming a strong enemy for Maahishmati: Bhallala and Bhijjaladeva conspire against the innocent Kunthala Raajyam for the grudge they hold against Devasena. So, they convince Sivagami to believe that Kunthala is a threat to Maahishmati. According to the plan, the soldiers bring a news against Kunthala Raajyam and hence the shot you see in trailer where Baahubali tries to stop the soldiers attacking Devasena.

Two soldiers on the right that brought the news.

8. Baahubali tries to convince Sivagami: Baahubali tries to reason why Kunthala isn’t a threat to Maahishmati but Sivagami isn’t convinced and otherwise starts to believe that Baahubali is trying to side with Kunthala.

9. Bhallaladeva orders to destroy Kunthala: Quite after sometime, Bhallaladeva orders to destroy Kunthala after their conspiracy comes to success. The soldiers are on their way to Kunthala, but Baaubali believes that the family and people of Devasena should be saved. Hence he goes to Kunthala Raajyam to save them from Bhallaldeva’s army. Since he is going without the support of kingdom, he goes with the signature weapons of Kunthala, Arrows. Since Kunthala is already seiged by the Bhallaladeva army he climbs over into the castle and fights them. Below are the shots that prove all the above points.

Baahubali in Kunthala with arrows as his main weapon.

Climbing into Kunthala

Notice the Hamsas in background

Fighting against Bhallaladeva Army. Also notice the hamsa to the rightmost of the shot.

10. Baahubali joining forces with Kunthala: After he fights out the Bhallaladeva’s army, he finds out this is all the conspiracy plan hatched by Bhallala and Bijjaladeva. So, he joins forces with subbaraju and tamannah’s group head to confront Bhallaladeva. By this point of time, Sivagami is fully convinced that Baahubali has turned rogue.

Notice that he is wearing the same red dress but with the armor snatched from one of the guards.

Finding truth from Tamannah’s group head.

Someone just pointed out that it is Kattappa who is behind Baahubali.

11. Antaryuddham: The news has reached Maahishmati that Baahubali is coming against Bhallaladeva which convinces Sivagami that an internal war is about to break. All this time Devasena is safe in Maahishmati because Sivagami has nothing against her and if Bhallala and Bijjala tries anything otherwise, she may turn against them. Finally the war breaks and Kattappa being kattu baanisa to the throne has no other choice but to kill Baahubali. While the death news reaches to Sivagami, Subbaraju manages to reach Devasena and reveals the truth behind the conspiracy. At this point, Sivudu is born and Devasena not in a position to move hands over Sivudu to Sivagami and tells her the truth. This is the moment where Sivagami realises all the sins she committed (nenu chesina paapalaki praayaschithham).

Sivagami falling on the feet of Devasena. Notice the blood on her hands, possibly after caressing Baahubali’s dead body.

12. Sivagami’s Realisation: Sivagami realises and presents Mahendra Baahubali to the people of Maahishmati as the true successor to the throne. Bhallaladeva is in the war zone during this announcement and as she realizes that he is not safe in his hands, she leaves the kingdom which brings us to the starting of Baahubali, The beginning. Even though Sivudu is safe, due to the wrong information given by the guards to cover their failure, Everyone but Devasena believes that Sivudu is dead. This is why Bhallala says that his wish of killing Baahubali with his own hands is impossible.

Some other points:

This is none but Kattappa after he kills Baahubali.

Notice the way he is holding the sword towards floor and about to climb the stairs.

Bhallaladeva’s army entering Kunthala. Notice the wall around the fort.

Bhallaladeva? Baahubali? Sivagami?

We had so much discussion over the above picture but we are half convinced that it is Bhallaladeva because Sivagami always has paaraani to her hand. But we also think it is Baahubali shedding his blood to show his devotion for the throne.

Yet we have one unanswered question:

Who is Bhallaladeva’s wife?

But after all this assumptions and predictions, we hope this is not true. We are happy either way. Truth, which means our guess is correct. Wrong, which means SSR has exceeded our expectations.

Wishing Team #Baahubali a earth shattering success.

By,

Ram Vamsi Krishna Rimmalapudi & Sri Charan Kakarla