Five investment lessons you can pick from blockbuster Baahubali

NEW DELHI: Just a week back, investors from all walks of life thronged the Century Link Centre, Omaha, to pick up a few pearls of wisdom from the ocean of investment ideas – Warren Buffett.

Millions others, who could not be the part of the annual shareholders meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, remained glued to live stream of the event.

The 86-year old investment guru is still a craze in the financial world, and his statements often become gospel truth for investors and solid stories for news media attracting millions of eyeballs.

However, this time when Buffett and his partner Charlie Munger were sharing their success mantras and money-making strategies, a new icon was making headlines back in India with its dazzling grandeur and extravagance, giving tough competition to the ‘Oracle of Omaha’.

The project, which everyone is talking about, has not only gone a long way to script history in its domain but has also become an inspiration, a valuable lesson for different facets of life, including the investment world.

Yes, you guessed it right! SS Rajamouli’s magnum opus ‘Baahubali’ has been an unstoppable, smashing box office records one after another and mauling every other movie that dared to hit the screen around the same time!

Made in two parts, namely Baahubali-The Beginning and Baahubali-The Conclusion, the film is all about the battle between the good and the evil, with the former emerging triumphant at the end. Although one can’t take the eyes off the grandeur and the visual treat that the film offers, the discerning observers from the financial world say the movie has lessons on investing.

Here are the key takeaways from the film, which achieved an unprecedented feat of becoming the first Indian movie ever to gross Rs 1,000 crore worldwide in just seven days!

Stick to your core investment principles, come what may

Brokerage Angel Broking put out a blog, explaining what does a Baahubali really do: He gives up on the throne, because he does not want to compromise on his principles. You can argue whether that is correct, but the fact is he stood by his core philosophy and principles. In investing, your strategy is built on your core philosophy and investment principles. Even though you got to be flexible with changing situations, you must not falter on your core investment goal.

Patience is the key
Yes, we have heard that umpteen number of times since our childhood, but this is exactly what is required to become a successful investor. In the movie, two generations kept the flame alive to regain the lost kingdom from the hands of evil king Ballaldev. Even in investing, the waiting game eventually pays off. Of course, like Bahubali, you need to constantly keep chipping away at your eventual investment goal.

Endure the pain, enjoy the gain
Baahubali pays a huge price throughout his life. He forfeits the throne, which was his for the asking. He gives up a life of luxury to live in the forests and among the commoners. Eventually, he also gives up his life. But the battle continues and eventually the kingdom is in their hands. It was ensured that the price paid was worth it. This is important in investing. Most of us tend to trade and invest without understanding the actual costs and opportunity cost. We hold on to our investments for a long time and get out at the wrong time. Angel Broking says a prudent investor must ensure that when one has waited for long and paid a huge cost, the returns are worth it.

Have faith in your decision
This is one lesson which holds true for every aspect of life. Baahubali had enormous faith and full confidence in whatever he executed. He suffered a lot, lost everything, but his confidence was never shaken. This is true in investing too. There will be headwinds, some odd circumstances and word of mouth that can compel you to review your decision. But instead of inculcating self-doubt, you should be able to ignore the noise and keep moving ahead.

Get over emotions; shun herd mentality
This was the underlying theme of Baahubali; the character. Whether he was confronted by his affection towards his mother or his commitment towards his wife, Baahubali never allowed emotion to get the better of his judgment. Emotions are your biggest enemy while investing. You normally tend to follow herd mentality and tend to get swept away by emotions. Like Baahubali, your investment decisions must be driven by cold logic and incisive analysis.