India's 'most expensive' film Baahubali hits cinemas Published duration 10 July 2015

image copyright Spice PR image caption Some critics have compared the film's look to Zack Snyder's 300

India's battle epic film Baahubali (Strong Man), billed as its most expensive film to date, has released in cinemas on Friday.

The two-part film, directed by SS Rajamouli, was made at a reported cost of about $39m (£25m).

No date has been announced for the release of the second part.

The film, which has been compared to Zack Snyder's fantasy war film 300, has generated great interest because of its "massive budget" and special effects.

Baahubali focuses on a prince who is smuggled out of his kingdom and eventually returns to reclaim it, fighting an epic battle along with his brother to save it from a murderous army.

However Baahubali is not the first film that has made headlines in India because of its budget. Here are a few others:

Enthiran (Robot)

image copyright Getty Images image caption Enthiran is a superhuman robot who does superhuman things

Estimated budget: £22.7m ($35m) as reported by Hindustan Times

Year: 2010

Language: Tamil, Hindi, Telugu

Starring: Rajnikanth, Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan,

Plot: Tamil superstar Rajnikanth plays a scientist who creates a "super robot" modelled on himself. The robot looks human, but has superhuman qualities. The "super intelligent" robot remembers world history, knows medical science, warfare and everything in between. Things go horribly wrong when a villain ends up corrupting the robot, causing it to turn against its creator. But many epic scenes later, it shows loyalty to its master and ends up destroying itself.

Ra.One

image copyright Getty Images image caption Ra.One was a video game baddie who Shah Rukh Khan has to vanquish

Estimated budget: £15.5m ($24m) as reported by IMDB website.

Year: 2011

Language: Hindi

Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Arjun Rampal

Plot: 'RA.One', played by Arjun Rampal, is a originally a video game villain who is stronger than the hero, but havoc ensues when he comes out of the virtual world and into reality. He kills the creator of the game Shekhar, (played by Shah Rukh Khan). Can the game's hero G.One, also played by Shah Rukh Khan, save the day? Turns out, he can.

Kochadaiiyaan (King with a long curly mane)

image copyright Getty Images image caption The film was touted as India's first photorealistic performance capture film

Estimated budget: £13m ($20m) as reported by the NDTV website news channel.

Language: Tamil

Starring: Rajnikanth, Deepika Padukone

Plot: Rajnikanth plays the role of Rana, a warrior, who returns to his homeland to take revenge for the death of his father. The film was compared by some critics to James Cameron's Avatar.

Dhoom 3

image copyright Getty Images image caption Abhishek Bachchan was a good cop, while Aamir Khan is a bank robber

Estimated budget: £10.2m ($15.7m) as reported by India Today website

Year: 2013

Language: Hindi

Starring: Aamir Khan Abhishek Bachchan, Katrina Kaif

Plot: Aamir Khan plays a bank robber who also owns a circus. Abhishek Bachchan, who plays a good cop, investigates the robberies and tries to arrest Khan's character. A love triangle, high tech and a double suicide complete the plot of this film which was the 77th highest grossing film of 2013 worldwide.