Baahubali: The Beginning is a novel.
Baahubali : The Beginning ( stylized as bãhubali ; The One with Strong Arms ) is a 2015 Indian epic historical fiction film directed by S. S. Rajamouli . The film was made on a budget of 1.8 billion , making it the most expensive Indian film at its time of release . Its Hindi dubbed version also broke several records by becoming the highest grossing dubbed film in India . It won the National Film Award for Best Special Effects and Best Feature Film , becoming the first Telugu film to win the award . Baahubali : The Beginning is a 2015 Indian epic historical fiction film written and directed by S. S. Rajamouli and produced by Arka Media Works .