Original Baahubali Cast: Sanjay Dutt as Katappa, John Abraham as Bhallaladeva – Unraveling the Actor Prabhas Replaced and 8 Celebrities Who Turned Down the Opportunity to Join this Historic Journey!

SS Rajamouli’s monumental creation, Baahubali, has etched itself into the annals of history. The film catapulted Prabhas to overnight stardom, with Baahubali becoming synonymous with the actor. Likewise, the other actors from the film also ascended to superstardom. Sathyaraj’s portrayal of Katappa had the entire nation intrigued by the question, “Katappa ne Baahubali ko kyun maara,” while Ramya Krishnan’s commanding performance as Rajmata, who proclaimed “Mera Vachan Hi Hai Mera Shasan,” resonated deeply.

Before the iconic cast, there were rumors of other actors being the original choices for the film. These actors were either approached or were on the verge of being approached to portray key characters such as Baahubali, Devasena, Katappa, Bhallaladeva, Avantika, and others. Unfortunately, these actors could not be part of the historic journey that Indian Cinema was about to embark upon with the two Baahubali films.

Here’s a list of actors who were approached or rumored to be considered for various roles in SS Rajamouli’s magnum opus:

1. Sanjay Dutt – Katappa During an interview, writer KV Vijayendra Prasad confirmed, “For Kattappa, we had Sanjay Dutt in mind. But then it was dicey as he was still in jail. The next option was Sathyaraj.”

2. Mohanlal – Katappa While none have officially confirmed the rumor, it persists in the gossip mills that the seasoned actor was approached or considered to play Katappa in the film. However, he could not allocate the extensive dates required for the film.

3. Sridevi – Rajmata Sivagami The late actress was offered the role that was later portrayed by Ramya Krishnan, and it was rumored that she demanded 10 crore for the role. In an interview with DNA, the actress expressed her disapproval of discussing the films she did not do.

4. Sonam Kapoor – Avantika On Neha Dhupia’s show No Filter Neha, Sonam confirmed that she was offered a part in the film, likely the role of Avantika, which was ultimately played by Tamannaah Bhatia.

5. Nayanthara – Devasena While Anushka Shetty excelled in the role of Devasena, it was rumored that the part was first offered to Nayanthara.

6. John Abraham – Bhallaladeva Rumors suggest that SS Rajamouli was keen on John Abraham to play the negative lead in Baahubali. However, he later roped in Rana Daggubati for the role.

7. Viveik Oberoi – Bhallaladeva When offered the role of Bhallaladeva, the actor had prior commitments and was uncomfortable allocating extensive dates to the film, leading to Rana Daggubati ultimately essaying the role.

8. Hrithik Roshan – Baahubali Rumors were rife that Hrithik Roshan was offered the role of Baahubali, with further speculation about Rakesh Roshan wanting to come on board as the producer, leading to the consideration being dropped.