Part I: The Strategic Masterstroke
In a high-end conference room at the Taj Palace Hotel in Mumbai, India's top trade analysts had gathered for what had been billed as "The Baahubali Economics Summit" – a detailed examination of the film's unprecedented financial success and its implications for the industry.
Taran Adarsh stood at the podium, addressing an audience of over 200 industry professionals, journalists, and business analysts.
"Let's discuss what Anant Sharma achieved that no one else in Indian cinema has even attempted," he began, pulling up a financial breakdown on the large screen.
"Baahubali was conceived as two-part epic. Traditional approach would be: make Part One, release it, assess performance, then decide whether to proceed with Part Two based on results. That's risk management. That's what studios do."
He paused for effect. "Anant convinced everyone to shoot both parts simultaneously. Total budget: 750 crores for both films. That decision was so audacious that when I first heard it, I thought it was reckless."
The screen showed detailed budget allocation:
Part One: 380 croresPart Two: 370 croresTotal: 750 crores
"But look at the genius of this approach," Taran continued. "By shooting simultaneously, they achieved massive economies of scale. Sets built once, used for both films. Cast and crew mobilized once, working continuously for eighteen months rather than demobilizing and remobilizing for separate productions. Location expenses consolidated. Post-production pipelines running parallel."
Komal Nahta, another respected trade analyst, joined him on stage. "We estimate that shooting separately would have cost approximately 1,000 crores total – 500 crores per film. By shooting together, they saved 250 crores while actually improving production quality through continuity of vision and team cohesion."
"That's sophisticated production strategy," a voice from the audience observed.
"That's Anant Sharma's engineering mind applied to filmmaking," Taran replied. "Remember, he's IIT gold medalist in Computer Science but also an expert in micro financing. He approaches filmmaking systematically, identifying inefficiencies and optimizing processes. The simultaneous shooting wasn't just creative decision – it was mathematical optimization."
He pulled up another slide showing revenue projections:
Part One Final Projection: 2,050 crores worldwide.
Part Two Conservative Projection: 1,800 crores or even more.
worldwideCombined: 3,850 crores.
"Against 750 crores investment," Komal calculated, "that's return of over 500%. Even if Part Two underperforms projections, the combined franchise will generate minimum 3,200 crores. That's profit margin exceeding 400 crores per film."
"But here's what truly demonstrates Anant's confidence," Taran added. "He didn't just advocate for this approach – he invested his own money through Maya VFX. Forty percent equity stake means he personally risked approximately 300 crores. That's not just confidence. That's certainty."
The room absorbed this. Actors typically took fees and left financial risk to producers. Anant had invested his own substantial capital in the project's success.
"Who else in Indian cinema would take that risk?" Komal asked rhetorically. "What other actor would bet 300 crores of their own money on a project? Nobody. Because nobody else has that combination of financial resources, analytical confidence, and commitment to vision."
A journalist raised her hand: "But couldn't this approach have backfired catastrophically? If Part One had failed, Part Two would have been unmarketable and they'd have lost 750 crores total."
"Absolutely," Taran agreed. "This was high-risk, high-reward strategy. Which is exactly why Anant's confidence was crucial. Ronnie Screwvala told me that when he wavered about the simultaneous shooting approach, Anant laid out a systematic analysis: script quality assessment, market research data, technical capability evaluation, team competency review. Every factor supported success. Anant wasn't gambling – he was calculating probability and determining that success was overwhelmingly likely."
"And he was right," Komal concluded. "Part One has exceeded even optimistic projections. Part Two is now guaranteed success because Part One created such powerful anticipation. The strategy worked perfectly because the underlying analysis was sound."
Part II: The Unprecedented Trajectory
The discussion shifted to Anant's career arc, which trade analysts described as "unprecedented in entertainment history globally, not just in India."
A PowerPoint slide showed Anant's three-film trajectory:
URI: The Surgical Strike (2019 in original timeline, 2015 in this timeline)
Budget: 45 crores Collection: 450 crores ROI: 1,000% Anant's Role: Lead Actor (No Fee – worked for passion)
MS Dhoni: The Untold Story (2016)
Budget: 100 crores (including Anant's innovations) Collection: 1,200 crores ROI: 1,200% Anant's Remuneration: 10% profit share = 110 crores approximately
Baahubali: The Beginning (2017)
Budget: 380 crores (Part One only) Collection: 2,050 crores (projected final) ROI: 540% Anant's Earnings: 40% Maya VFX stake profit = 280+ crores
"Total box office across three films," Taran calculated dramatically, "3,700 crores and counting. Part Two will add another 1,800+ crores, bringing Anant's three-film total to approximately 5,500 crores."
The room erupted in excited murmurs.
"To put this in perspective," Komal added, "Shah Rukh Khan's entire career spanning thirty years has generated approximately 8,000 crores total. Salman Khan's career: approximately 7,500 crores. Aamir Khan: approximately 8,500 crores. These are three of the biggest stars in Indian cinema history, with careers spanning decades."
"Anant Sharma, in three films over three years, has generated 70% of what these legends accumulated over thirty-year careers. By the time Part Two releases, he'll have generated approximately 65% of Aamir Khan's lifetime box office in just three films."
A producer in the audience stood: "That's not just unprecedented. That's almost unbelievable. How do we contextualize this?"
"By acknowledging we're witnessing outlier phenomenon," Taran replied. "Statistical anomaly. Once-in-a-generation talent meeting once-in-a-generation opportunities with once-in-a-generation execution. Every variable aligned perfectly."
"Also, by acknowledging exponential growth," Komal added. "Uri: 450 crores. Dhoni: 1,200 crores. Baahubali: 2,050 crores. Each film is approximately 2.5x the previous. That's not linear progression – that's exponential trajectory."
Another slide appeared showing projected career earnings:
Anant Sharma - Career Earnings Projection:
Acting Remuneration (3 films): ~130 crores Profit Share (Dhoni): ~110 crores Maya VFX Equity (Baahubali 1&2): ~560 crores Dolby Anti-Piracy Royalty (lifetime): ~500+ crores Technology Patents and IP: ~200 crores Brand Endorsements (current): ~80 crores annually
Total Current Net Worth (age 25): ~1,580 crores
"Anant Sharma is soon to become billionaire before age 26," Taran stated. "But more importantly, most of his wealth comes from innovation and entrepreneurship, not just acting. The anti-piracy technology, the VFX innovations, the production partnerships – he's built diversified revenue streams that will generate passive income for decades."
"This is new model for actor success," Komal observed. "Not just performing in films, but engineering the filmmaking process itself, creating technology that improves the industry, and investing strategically in projects. Anant has redefined what it means to be successful in cinema."
Part III: The Maya VFX Unicorn
A special segment of the summit focused on Maya VFX's valuation and its significance for the Indian tech and entertainment ecosystem.
A venture capital analyst from Sequoia Capital India took the stage:
"Maya VFX has reached unicorn status – valuation exceeding $200 million or approximately 1,650 crores. This makes it one of India's few entertainment technology unicorns and the only one founded by an active actor."
She displayed Maya VFX's value proposition:
Maya VFX Core Assets:
Proprietary color grading filters optimized for Indian cinematography Advanced compression algorithms (40% size reduction, minimal quality loss) Anti-piracy encoding technology (licensed globally) Dolby Vision optimization for Indian content VFX pipeline integration systems Training programs for Indian VFX artists
"The anti-piracy technology alone is worth approximately 600 crores based on conservative royalty projections," she explained. "Every major studio globally is evaluating licensing it. We estimate that within three years, 60-70% of major theatrical releases worldwide will use this technology."
"That's 15-20 crores in annual royalty revenue initially, scaling to 100+ crores annually within five years. This single innovation provides Maya VFX with stable, growing revenue stream independent of film production success."
A tech journalist asked: "How does Maya VFX's success impact India's position in global VFX industry?"
"Dramatically," the analyst replied. "Indian VFX has historically been seen as low-cost service provider for Hollywood productions. Maya VFX is changing that perception. They're not just executing others' visions – they're developing proprietary technology that's superior to what Hollywood studios have."
"Major American VFX companies – ILM, Weta Digital, Digital Domain – are all watching Maya VFX carefully. Some have approached about partnerships or acquisition. Anant has refused all offers, preferring to build Maya VFX as independent Indian company."
"That decision has strategic significance beyond business," she continued. "It signals that India can develop world-class entertainment technology domestically rather than remaining dependent on Western companies. That's soft power development through technological capability."
A producer raised a concern: "But isn't Anant spreading himself too thin? Acting in films, running a tech company, developing innovations – how sustainable is this?"
"Anant isn't running Maya VFX day-to-day," the analyst clarified. "Ronnie Screwvala and Aditya Dhar handle operations. Anant's role is strategic vision and technical innovation. He works on technology development during production gaps. The structure is sustainable because he's delegated execution while maintaining creative control."
"And the proof of sustainability is in results," she concluded. "Maya VFX has delivered on every project. The technology works. The business model is sound. The team is excellent. This isn't vanity project – it's legitimate technology company that happens to be founded by an actor."
Part IV: The Piracy Solution Celebrated
A special panel discussion focused exclusively on the anti-piracy technology and its industry impact. Representatives from major studios, theater chains, and content protection organizations participated.
"Piracy has cost the global film industry an estimated $40 billion annually," began a representative from the Motion Picture Association. "We've tried various solutions – legal enforcement, DRM systems, watermarking, theater surveillance. Nothing has been comprehensively effective. Until now."
He displayed statistics:
Piracy Impact on Baahubali:
Traditional releases: 30-40% revenue loss to piracy Baahubali with anti-piracy tech: <5% estimated loss Revenue protected: approximately 500+ crores
"That's half a billion rupees that would have been lost to piracy but remained as legitimate revenue," he emphasized. "For the producers, distributors, theaters, and everyone in the value chain, this technology represents massive financial protection."
"But beyond Baahubali," a Cinepolis executive added, "we're seeing broader adoption. We've licensed the technology for all our premium screens. Any film can now integrate these filters for modest fee. The cost is approximately 2-3 crores for major production, which protects potential losses of 200-300 crores. The ROI is obvious."
A Netflix representative spoke about streaming implications: "The technology also protects streaming content. We're implementing it for our Indian originals and even international ones which shoot by Dolby Camera which has integrated anti piracy technology. Screen recording of Netflix content with this protection results in unwatchable files. It solves problem we've struggled with for years."
"What makes Anant's achievement particularly remarkable," the MPA representative continued, "is that he developed this as side project. Most companies spend hundreds of millions on R&D trying to solve piracy. Anant solved it almost incidentally while developing color grading tools for his own films. That's the definition of elegant problem-solving."
A technical consultant explained the mechanism: "The encoding embeds imperceptible frequency patterns in the visual data. Human eyes can't detect them – they're below perceptual threshold. But digital recording devices amplify these patterns catastrophically, fragmenting the image into unwatchable pixelated mess. It's mathematically elegant solution."
"Can it be defeated?" a cybersecurity expert asked.
"Theoretically, any system can be defeated," the consultant acknowledged. "But practically, defeating this requires understanding the specific mathematical encoding, which is proprietary and encrypted. Then you'd need to develop counter-algorithm that extracts clean signal while filtering the protection patterns. That's enormously complex. By the time someone potentially defeats current version, Maya VFX will have released updated encoding with different mathematical structure."
"It's adaptive system," he concluded. "Always evolving, always ahead of potential countermeasures. That's what makes it genuinely effective long-term solution."
The panel concluded with the MPA representative making announcement: "The Motion Picture Association is establishing partnership with Maya VFX and Dolby to promote this technology globally. We're encouraging all major studios to adopt it. We believe that within five years, this could reduce global film piracy by 70-80%. That's transformative for the industry."
"And it came from India," he added with a smile. "From an actor-engineer who saw problem and solved it. That's innovation we should celebrate."
Part V: The Awards Season Dominance
As award season approached, Baahubali was being positioned for unprecedented sweep across all major Indian film awards. But first came recognition for Anant's previous work.
The National Film Awards
At the National Film Awards ceremony in New Delhi – India's most prestigious film honors, given by the government rather than industry bodies – Anant received recognition for both Uri and MS Dhoni.
Special Jury Award for Uri: The Surgical Strike - "For exceptional debut performance demonstrating maturity beyond experience and contributing to film of national importance."
Best Actor Award for MS Dhoni: The Untold Story - "For transformative biographical performance that honored the subject with authenticity, nuance, and complete embodiment."
When Anant's name was announced for Best Actor, the entire assembly stood in spontaneous ovation. The standing ovation lasted over two minutes – nearly unprecedented at the typically reserved National Film Awards.
Anant walked to the stage, visibly moved by the reception. He accepted the award from the President of India, who whispered, "You've made the nation proud. Not just through entertainment, but through elevating our cultural representation globally."
Anant's acceptance speech was carefully prepared but delivered with genuine emotion:
"Namaste. I'm deeply honored to receive this recognition from the National Film Awards, which represents the highest standard of Indian cinema excellence.
"MS Dhoni: The Untold Story was not my project alone. It belonged first to Dhoni sir, whose life and achievements provided the story. It belonged to Neeraj Pandey sir, whose direction brought that story to visual life. It belonged to every person who worked on the film – cast, crew, technicians, all of whom contributed their expertise.
"I'm grateful to have been instrument for telling this important story. Dhoni sir represents something profound about Indian capability – the small-town boy who through dedication, skill, and unwavering commitment achieved greatness on global stage. That's not just his story. That's the story of millions of Indians who dream big and work tirelessly toward those dreams.
"To be trusted with portraying that journey was privilege beyond measure. This award acknowledges that I hopefully did justice to that trust.
"I want to thank my family – my father Rajesh, my mother Meera, my sister Anjali. My father, himself a gold medalist from the National School of Drama, taught me that craft matters more than fame, that integrity matters more than success, that stories matter more than spotlight. Those lessons guided every choice I made in preparing for this role.
"I thank Ronnie Screwvala and Fox Star Studios for their vision and support. I thank Aditya Dhar for believing in unknown actor for Uri. I thank SS Rajamouli for trusting me with Baahubali. I thank every co-star, every crew member, every person who has contributed to my journey.
"But most importantly, I thank audiences. Awards are wonderful, but they mean nothing without audience connection. You've supported my work, embraced my characters, allowed me to tell stories that matter. That's the ultimate validation.
"Thank you."
The speech was classic Anant – gracious, humble, crediting others extensively. But the substance beneath the humility was undeniable. He'd delivered performances worthy of India's highest honors.
The Filmfare Awards
The Filmfare Awards – India's most glamorous industry ceremony – became the Anant Sharma show. He was nominated in multiple categories across his three released films, and the evening became celebration of his unprecedented achievement.
The awards ceremony, held at Mumbai's Jio World Centre, was packed with Bollywood's elite. When Anant arrived, the reception was extraordinary. Photographers went into frenzy. Fellow actors and filmmakers approached him with congratulations. The atmosphere acknowledged that they were witnessing history.
Anant won:
Best Male Debut for Uri, Best Actor (Critics) for MS Dhoni, Best Actor (Popular) for Baahubali.
When he accepted the Best Actor Popular award for Baahubali, the standing ovation was complete – every person in the auditorium on their feet, applauding with genuine enthusiasm that transcended professional jealousy or competitive instinct.
"This is remarkable moment," Anant began his acceptance speech. "Not because I'm holding this trophy, but because of what this moment represents. Three years ago, I was unknown actor making debut in military film that many considered risky. Tonight, I'm accepting Best Actor award for mythological epic that broke every record. That journey – that rapid transformation – is only possible in Indian cinema, where talent and dedication can overcome lack of connections or legacy."
He paused, looking out at the assembly of industry legends. "I see Shah Rukh sir, Aamir sir, Salman sir, Akshay sir, Amitabh sir – titans who built this industry. I see Hrithik, Ranbir, Ranveer – contemporary peers who inspire me. I see directors, producers, technicians who make films possible. Everyone in this room contributes to Indian cinema's greatness."
"Baahubali's success belongs to all of us collectively. It demonstrates what Indian cinema can achieve when we trust our stories, honor our culture, invest appropriately in production quality, and refuse to accept 'good enough.' SS Rajamouli sir demanded excellence. The team delivered excellence. Audiences rewarded excellence."
"I'm grateful to be part of that ecosystem. And I'm committed to maintaining that standard in every project I choose going forward. Thank you."
The IIFA Awards
The International Indian Film Academy Awards, held that year in New York City, became global showcase of Anant's impact. The event drew 15,000 attendees to MetLife Stadium which how powerful Indian Diaspora in US, with performances and presentations celebrating Indian cinema's international reach.
Where many Indian and NRI fans just roar which shocked many non Indians as they never see this type of enthusiasm for Hollywood actors but this Indian Actor surpass them by miles in the terms of pure stardom.
Anant won Best Actor for Baahubali and received the IIFA Special Recognition Award for "Transformative Impact on Global Perception of Indian Cinema."
The Special Recognition presentation was made by international guests – directors from Hollywood, European cinema, and Asian film industries who'd been invited specifically to acknowledge Baahubali's global significance.
Peter Jackson, via video message, said: "Anant Sharma has done for Indian cinema what we attempted with Lord of the Rings – demonstrate that local mythology, presented with world-class production values, can resonate globally. His achievement is remarkable and worthy of international celebration."
When Anant accepted the award, his speech acknowledged the global dimension:
"Thank you IIFA, thank you to the international cinema community for this recognition. Indian cinema has always been extraordinary – for decades, we've created films that matter, that move people, that tell important stories. But we've often done so in isolation, without global recognition or distribution.
"Baahubali's international success demonstrates that when we present our stories with appropriate production investment and when we distribute them properly, global audiences respond enthusiastically. We don't need to imitate Hollywood. We need to be authentically Indian while meeting international technical standards.
"This award acknowledges not just Baahubali but the potential for Indian cinema to take its rightful place on global stage. I'm honored to be part of that movement and committed to continuing it. Thank you."
Part VI: The Fashion Icon Emergence
Parallel to film success and industry recognition, Anant had become unexpected fashion phenomenon. His appearance at awards ceremonies – always impeccably styled but never ostentatious – had caught attention of luxury fashion houses.
Paris Fashion Week reached out through his management: Balenciaga, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Dior all wanted Anant to walk in their shows.
"This is unprecedented," his stylist explained during a meeting. "Major luxury houses don't typically recruit Indian actors for Paris runway shows. They're reaching out because you've been named 'Asia's Most Handsome Man' by multiple publications and in future may win Most Handsome Man on the planet, 'Perfect Face' by Forbes facial symmetry analysis, and 'Most Desirable Man' by various polls."
"I'm not a model," Anant protested. "I'm an actor. Walking fashion shows isn't my expertise."
"But your face and physique are perfect for high fashion," she countered, showing him the editorial requests. "Vogue, GQ, Elle, Harper's Bazaar – everyone wants to feature you. The fashion world sees you as ideal representation of modern masculine aesthetics – classically handsome but not conventionally pretty, strong but not bulky, sophisticated but not effete."
Anant reviewed the offers skeptically. "I'm not interested in becoming full-time fashion model. But if these appearances can elevate Indian representation in international fashion, maybe there's value."
They negotiated selective participation: Anant would walk for one major house during Paris Fashion Week, appear in one major fashion editorial, and do limited brand ambassador work with Louis Philippe (Indian brand) rather than exclusively Western luxury houses.
"Keep it minimal, meaningful, and Indian-focused," Anant instructed. "I'll participate enough to ensure Indian faces are represented in global fashion conversations, but I won't let it distract from film work."
The compromise satisfied everyone. When photos from the Dior show emerged – Anant walking the Paris runway in custom suit, his long hair and beard styled elegantly, his presence commanding the catwalk – the fashion world took notice.
"Indian masculinity redefined," Vogue Paris titled their feature. "Anant Sharma brings warrior aesthetic to high fashion."
The visibility helped Indian male models generally – casting directors began seeking similar aesthetics, creating opportunities for others.
Part VII: The NSD Homecoming
But perhaps the most emotionally significant recognition came from the National School of Drama in New Delhi – Anant's father's alma mater and the institution that had shaped Rajesh's artistic foundation.
NSD had invited Anant to receive their Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award. The invitation was unusual – technically, Anant wasn't an alumnus. But NSD was honoring him for "embodying NSD's highest values in public artistic practice despite not having formally attended."
The ceremony was scheduled for a Saturday evening at NSD's main auditorium. Anant arrived with his father, Rajesh, who hadn't set foot in NSD since his graduation nearly thirty years earlier.
As they entered the campus, Rajesh's emotions were visible. "This place," he murmured, looking around at familiar buildings. "I spent three years here. Best years of my life. I learned everything here."
Anant squeezed his father's shoulder supportively. "Then let's honor that properly."
The auditorium was filled with current NSD students, faculty, alumni, and theater industry professionals. The atmosphere was reverent – NSD took artistic excellence seriously, and they'd gathered to celebrate someone who'd demonstrated that excellence on the largest possible stage.
The current NSD Director, a distinguished theater veteran, opened the ceremony:
"We gather tonight to honor Anant Sharma, whose work in cinema has demonstrated qualities we strive to instill in every NSD student: dedication to craft, respect for character, commitment to truth in performance, and courage to attempt the difficult.
"Anant's journey is particularly meaningful to NSD because his artistic foundation came from his father, Rajesh Sharma, NSD's gold medalist from the class of 1990. Rajesh couldn't continue his performing career due to family responsibilities, but he ensured his son received the values and training NSD provides.
"Tonight, we honor both men – the father who sacrificed his stage career to provide stability, and the son who carried those artistic values to unprecedented heights."
Anant and Rajesh were both called to the stage. As they walked up together, the audience stood in spontaneous ovation. Seeing father and son together – one a hidden legend, one a public phenomenon – was deeply moving for the theater community that valued lineage and artistic inheritance.
The award was presented: a beautiful sculpture of Nataraja, the dancing form of Lord Shiva, symbolizing artistic expression and divine creativity.
Anant accepted it, then surprised everyone by holding up his hand to indicate he wanted to speak before the formal acceptance speech.
"Thank you, NSD, for this incredible honor. But I must do something unconventional."
He held out the award, offering it back to the Director.
Gasps rippled through the auditorium.
"I'm returning this award," Anant explained, "not because I don't value it, but because I haven't earned it yet. Not fully."
The confusion was evident on everyone's faces.
"Everything I've achieved in cinema – every performance, every character, every moment of artistic truth – came from my IIT Ankahi Society and later my father taught me which make my foundation more strong and sturdy. And those foundations came from here, from NSD. But I've never formally studied here. I've absorbed NSD's values secondhand through my father's teaching."
He paused, looking at the Director directly. "I want to earn this award properly. I want admission to NSD as regular student. I want to study here, learn from your faculty, immerse myself in the training that shaped my father. When I complete that education, when I've actually experienced what NSD offers, then I'll accept this award along with my graduation certificate."
The auditorium fell into stunned silence.
The Director stared at Anant, processing this unexpected development. "You want to attend NSD? While being one of India's biggest film stars?" Director heart skip a bit because this this is unprecedented and limitless promotion for their college.
"I'm an actor before I'm a star," Anant replied simply. "And as an actor, I have gaps in my training. I've never formally studied voice modulation, theatrical movement, classical dramatic theory, ensemble performance. These are foundational elements every serious actor should master. I've compensated through natural ability, Ankahi drama society and my father's teaching, but I want formal, comprehensive training."
"When would you attend?" a faculty member asked. "Your film schedule—"
"I'll make time," Anant interrupted. "Between projects, I'll dedicate six months to intensive NSD training. I'm not asking for special accommodation or celebrity treatment. I'll be regular student, attending full curriculum, submitting to same standards as everyone else."
Rajesh, standing beside him, had moist eyes and one tear of happiness slid down his face. His son wasn't just honoring NSD – he was honoring Rajesh's own artistic legacy by seeking to complete the education Rajesh had begun decades earlier.
The Director looked at his faculty, then at the assembled students, then back at Anant. Slowly, a smile spread across his face.
"On behalf of NSD, I accept your application for admission. You'll attend the next incoming class, beginning in six months. You'll be treated exactly like every other student – same expectations, same evaluations, same challenges. And when you graduate, you'll receive this award properly earned along with your NSD certification."
The auditorium erupted in applause and cheering. Students were particularly enthusiastic – the prospect of having Anant Sharma as classmate was thrilling and inspiring.
Anant then delivered his formal speech, addressing the gathering:
"I'm grateful to NSD for accepting me as future student. This might seem unusual – successful film actor seeking formal theater training after already achieving commercial success. But I've learned that commercial success and artistic mastery are different things. You can have one without the other.
"I've been commercially successful. Now I want to deepen my artistic mastery. I want to learn from institution that has produced India's finest stage actors. I want to immerse myself in environment where art is taken seriously, where commercial considerations don't compromise creative integrity.
"To the current NSD students: I'll be your classmate soon. I hope you'll see me as fellow learner rather than celebrity. Push me, challenge me, critique me. I'm here to grow, not to be accommodated.
"To the faculty: teach me as you would any student. No special treatment, no reduced expectations. I'm here for rigorous education.
"And to my father," Anant turned to Rajesh, who stood beside him still crying, "thank you for teaching me to value craft over fame. Thank you for showing me that true artistic achievement requires continuous learning, regardless of external success. Thank you for being example I hope to honor through my own dedication to growth."
He embraced his father, and the audience's applause grew even louder.
After the ceremony, during the informal reception, current NSD students crowded around Anant with questions and excitement.
"Will you really attend regular classes?" one asked.
"Absolutely," Anant confirmed. "Six months, full curriculum. I'm looking forward to it."
"What about your film career?" another questioned.
"I'll schedule around it," Anant replied. "This is important enough to prioritize. Baahubali Part Two releases in July. I'll take short break for promotions, then enroll for the session starting in August. By the time NSD training completes in January of next year, I'll be better actor ready for better roles."
"That's incredible dedication," one student observed.
"That's basic professionalism," Anant corrected gently. "Continuous learning is essential in any craft. I'm just applying that principle to acting."
Part VIII: The Waiting World
As April turned to May and June, the anticipation for Baahubali: The Conclusion built to fever pitch. Part One's theatrical run had finally concluded after 16 weeks with lifetime collection of 2,087 crores worldwide – making it the highest-grossing Indian film ever at that point.
But the achievement was overshadowed by anticipation for Part Two. The question "Why did Kattapa kill Baahubali?" had become so culturally pervasive that it appeared in:
Political cartoons Stand-up comedy routines Academic papers on narrative structure International media discussions of cliffhanger storytelling Casual conversations across India and globally
Social media was dominated by:
Countdown posts (57 days until Part Two!) Fan theories about the betrayal Speculation about Part Two's content Repeat viewings of Part One trying to find clues
The Part Two trailer, shown at Part One's conclusion, had been analyzed frame-by-frame by millions of fans. Every shot, every piece of dialogue, every costume detail had been scrutinized for hints about the resolution.
Box office analysts were making projections:
"Part Two will open bigger than Part One," Taran Adarsh predicted. "Part One opened to 89 crores domestically. Part Two will open to 120+ crores easily. The anticipation is unprecedented."
"International markets will be even stronger," Komal Nahta added. "Part One introduced global audiences to Baahubali. Part Two benefits from that established fan base plus the cliffhanger urgency. We're looking at 200+ crore worldwide opening day for Part Two."
The projections seemed fantastical, but given Part One's performance, nothing seemed impossible.
Anant, observing the frenzy from necessary distance, felt the weight of expectation. He called Rajamouli one evening in June:
"Sir, the anticipation is enormous. What if Part Two doesn't meet expectations? What if the resolution disappoints?"
"Then we fail having given our best effort," Rajamouli replied calmly. "But Anant, I've seen the final cut of Part Two. It delivers. The emotional payoff, the action escalation, the romance, the resolution of Kattapa's betrayal – everything works. Trust the work. We've earned this success through quality, and Part Two's quality matches Part One."
"Six weeks until release," Anant noted.
"Six weeks until we complete the story we've been telling for four years," Rajamouli corrected. "Part One was setup. Part Two is payoff. And the payoff is worth the wait."
As July 15 approached, one fact became undeniable:
Anant Sharma, at age 25, had become the most powerful and successful artist in Indian entertainment history. Three films, 3,700+ crores collected so far, technology innovations transforming the industry, awards dominating every major ceremony, global recognition elevating Indian cinema's international standing, and the promise of even greater achievement ahead.
Part Two waited.
The world watched.
And history prepared to be made again.
Chapter End
Author Note: Thank you Allen/ ELVIDAR for your support. It doesn't matter how much a tip is—it's always a token of appreciation and intent. Even the smallest support carries meaning for me, because it reflects the heart behind it. A single drop of water, given time, can help fill an ocean. Each gesture of support brings me happiness, but also reminds me never to take advantage of my readers. That's why I choose to focus on quality over quantity. Thank you, once again, for standing with me.
Next chapter will be very exciting, Today at 5pm.
Release Time Table: Weekdays/ one chapter and Weekends/ two chapter.