Hyderabad, May 7 (IANS): Auteur S. S. Rajamouli, who is awaiting the release of the upcoming animated series 'Baahubali: Crown of Blood', has shared that there's a gaping difference between how the West views and leverages film franchises and how India views them.

On Tuesday, the filmmaker spoke with the media at a multiplex chain Kondapur during a press event organised for the series.

The director told the media that the series is not a sequel or a prequel but, it's an offshoot, and it unfolds right in the middle of the film's story.

"The West has a very different view of successful films that go onto become a brand. Once a film becomes a brand in the West, it trickles down into multiple media of books, games and animation."

He further mentioned: "Here in India, we don't have that, I wanted to change that so we tried different things in terms of a pre-story, the character arcs and the post-story. We tried games as well but the idea of an animated series resonated strongly with us. So, we decided to go forward with the concept."

Produced by Graphic India, Arka Mediaworks production, S.S. Rajamouli, Sharad Devarajan and Shobu Yarlagadda, ‘Baahubali: Crown of Blood’ drops on Disney+ Hotstar on May 17, 2024.