Rebel Star Happy Birthday Prabhas: Six best films of the star before Baahubali

Happy Birthday Prabhas: The Telugu actor was a huge star even before Baahubali happened in 2015. On his birthday, a look at some of his best and successful films for SS Rajamouli’s film released.

SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali franchise may have catapulted Prabhas’ career to dizzying heights but stardom came to him earlier. As Prabhas turned 40 on Wednesday, we take a look at five best films of his career before the world came to know him as Baahubali. From Varsham to Mirchi, we track the rise of Prabhas from a humble boy to a celebrated star.

Varsham

Prabhas and Trisha Krishnan in Varsham.

According to the trade, Varsham was Prabhas’ first major blockbuster. The film struck a right chord with the youngsters with its refreshing love story and terrific songs. The film sees Prabhas lock horns with a gangster to win his love. The film used rain as a unifying element that brings the lead pair together and scenes between Prabhas and Trisha still remain memorable. Varsham continues to remain as one of the best Telugu albums last two decades.

Chatrapathi

Chatrapathi was the first time Prabhas and SS Rajamouli worked together.

The film marked his first collaboration with SS Rajamouli and continues to be one of the biggest blockbusters of his career. In an angry young man avatar, Prabhas won over audiences with his raw and unadulterated performance as a vagabond turned gang lord. The film is still remembered even after 12 years since its release for Prabhas’ intense performance and the awe-inspiring interval block. Apart from being violent, the film explored the beautiful relationship between the mother and her son.

Billa

Billa was a remake of Amitabh Bachchan’s Don.

A modern-day remake of Amitabh Bachchan’s Don, this version of the film presented Prabhas in a slick and most stylish avatar. With this project, he went on to prove that he can also play characters way out of his league effortlessly. He was paired with Anushka Shetty, his rumoured girlfriend for the first time in the film, and the pair since then has worked together many times. Billa is celebrated even today for its overall presentation, even though it was a remake.

Darling

Prabhas’ comic timing was on display in Darling.

In this Karunakaran-directed romantic drama, Prabhas played a carefree lover who, in order to escape from marrying a don’s daughter, weaves a story of meeting his childhood sweetheart again. A lighthearted entertainer, the film brought forth Prabhas’ comic sense and explored a never seen before side of his.

Mr Perfect

A still from Mr Perfect.

A heartwarming family drama, this Dasarath entertainer worked because of introducing audiences to the concept of nuclear family. The story is about mending relationships and Prabhas plays a key part in bringing together two families. Unlike most of his films where we get high dose of action and violence, Mr Perfect came as a whiff of fresh air and worked wonders at the box-office.

Mirchi

Prabhas in a still from Mirchi.

While critics still debate about violence that was endorsed via Mirchi, this action-drama from Koratala Siva was about the value of a life. It saw Prabhas play a man who returns to his hometown to reform his girlfriend’s goon-like family. In the process, it is revealed that Prabhas’ character has a dark past. Even before they played Baahubali and Kattappa, Prabhas and Sathyaraj were seen as son-father in this revenge-based drama.