We want audience to think about history and culture: Vijay Deverakonda on ‘Ranabaali’

Vijay Deverakonda starrer pan India historical drama ‘Ranabaali’ is all set to release globally on October 16th, which coincides with Vijayadashami. The film directed by Rahul Sankrityan and presented by T-Series, produced by Naveen Yerneni and Y. Ravi Shankar of Mythri Movie Makers, and stars Rashmika Mandanna in a leading role.

Speaking about the film, the actor said, “Ranabaali was made with a sense of responsibility to portray the forgotten tales of the time. It portrays the struggles of the masses, the fighting spirit of the warriors, and the reasons why the British were successful rulers back then.”

While talking about the research for the film, Vijay remarked, “When we look at history, it talks about wars, kings, and timelines, but the struggles of the masses, the pain that was tolerated, and the injustices that were normalized are the stories that need to be told and made aware of. We want the audience to think about history and culture. It is only when we know where we come from that we can prevent the same mistakes from being repeated in the future.”

The actor also spoke about the injustices of the British Raj that led to people tolerating them and said, “The Ranabaali team wanted to educate the audience about exploitation, loot, taxes, and famines. They made it clear that it was not just the British who caused India’s partition but also the politics and social hierarchy of the time. It made it easier for the British to exploit Indians by dividing them along religion and caste lines.”

The film’s heroes are based on real warriors whose stories were told in folklore long after their death. The actor also talked about the film’s true-to-life feel, stating, “There is a folk song at the beginning of the film, which was inspired by traditional folklore. We also tried to recreate the atmosphere of those days instead of making it a typical fantasy-adventure film.”

The film is 2h 50m long and has extensive CGI effects. Vijay also mentioned that he had to learn to ride a horse for the film and had to learn the Rayalaseema language for two to three months. He also had to go through a lot of training before starting the shoot. “I studied in Puttaparthi for many years and understood the language to a great extent. However, I had to prepare myself for the role even more,” he added.

Rashmika has essayed the role of Jayamma in the film. Vijay said about his co-star, “Our real-life friendship has helped us immensely. The emotions that she delivers on screen are incredible, and people are going to love her.”

He also spoke about the director, saying, “Rahul Sankrityan is the soul of ‘Ranabaali.’ If the film receives the kind of response that we expect, the audience will leave the theatre emotional and discussing the history and culture of the nation.” He also assured that there would be no hike in ticket prices for Ranabaali as he always wanted to make his films accessible to all audiences.

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The Hans India