‘Ranabaali’ Will Be a Great Cinematic Experience: Vijay Deverakonda
Ranabaali’ is a big-budget pan-India film starring Vijay Deverakonda in the lead role, with Rashmika Mandanna as the female lead. Rahul Sankrityan directed the film, and Naveen Yerneni and Y. Ravi Shankar produced it under the Mythri Movie Makers banner, with T-Series presenting it. The film is gearing up for a grand worldwide theatrical release on October 16, coinciding with the Vijayadashami festival. In a recent interview, Vijay Deverakonda shared several insights into the film. After ‘Pelli Choopulu’, this is a film I feel comfortable promoting. Before bringing it to audiences, I have watched the final copy two or three times. The film involves extensive CGI work, particularly in creating its backdrop. We understood the importance of CGI during pre-production and completed all the CGI shots by February. We expect to receive the censor certificate on Monday. Whatever certificate the film receives, we are fine with it. We make different films for different reasons, and we made this film for a specific purpose. Recently, while speaking to a senior journalist in Chennai, I learned about the famine in Bengal, during which many people died of hunger. He explained how American newspapers reported India’s condition and brought the atrocities committed under British rule to the attention of people in America. According to him, these accounts inspired Americans in their own struggle for independence. It was moving to learn that the suffering of our people had such a profound impact beyond our country. When we learn about the injustices our people endured throughout history, we are shocked and wonder whether such terrible things really happened. Some people did not consider us worthy of even the slightest respect. They treated us as though we were no different from trees and bushes. If we want to think about our country’s future, we must understand our history. If this film makes the right impact, it could pave the way for more films of this kind. Filmmakers may be encouraged to uncover other hidden chapters of our history through cinema. Otherwise, many of these stories may never be told. That is why we made ‘Ranabaali’ with a strong sense of responsibility and took great care in its making. The British did not initially come to India intending to settle here permanently. They came for trade. Even today, some Indians believe that the British built the Indian Railways for our benefit. However, their primary objective was to connect major ports and transport the wealth they extracted from our country, including grain, cotton and gold. Between 1876 and 1878, a devastating famine in the Madras Presidency claimed millions of lives. Historical accounts suggest that the actual death toll may have been even higher. The historical narratives and technologies developed in the West do not always present the complete picture; history is often viewed from their own perspective. Several regions, including Bihar and Bengal, also experienced devastating famines, many of which remain relatively unknown to us. A famine caused by a lack of rainfall is one thing. In earlier times, local rulers and community elders would reduce the tax burden on farmers and the public during such crises. However, under British rule, taxes continued to be collected from famine-stricken regions, placing an enormous burden on already suffering people. Those who could not pay were forced to work on major projects, including railway lines, under extremely harsh conditions. They received only meagre quantities of grain in return. Those who were unable to work had little chance of survival. Learning about these historical atrocities is deeply distressing. Regardless of the circumstances we faced, our culture and beliefs kept us united as a society and helped us endure difficult times. During famines, people worshipped village deities and organised jatara festivals, hoping that the following year would bring better fortunes. At that time, resistance was not always driven by the idea of fighting for national independence. People often stood up against outsiders who entered their villages, exercised control over them and threatened their self-respect. Our history is filled with remarkable warriors who stood up for their people. Many of them died in their thirties. Their courage and sacrifice inspired us to make ‘Ranabaali’. Their stories survived through folk songs that kept their memories alive, and some were later documented by Indian writers. Through this film, we are bringing the greatness of these warriors, the atrocities our ancestors endured, the mistakes we made as a society and the circumstances that enabled the British to take control of this vast country to the big screen for audiences across the world. The British entered India through trading companies and gradually began creating divisions among our rulers. By speaking ill of one king to another and provoking conflicts, they exploited our differences and took control of various kingdoms. The greed, mistakes and conspiracies of some of our own people also contributed to this situation. In history lessons, we are often asked to memorise the dates and years of battles such as the Battle of Plassey and the Mysore Wars. However, we are not taught enough about the suffering ordinary people endured during those times. We must understand our past to prevent similar mistakes from being repeated. History often repeats itself. Even today, several countries are at war, while divisions based on caste, religion and regional identity continue to create barriers among us. We are confident about the success of ‘Ranabaali’, and that confidence is reflected in the way we are promoting the film. Director Rahul once shared a folk video recorded during a jatara in Anantapur. In it, people sang folk songs celebrating the greatness of historical warriors. Our film also begins with a similar folk song. We made this film with one clear purpose: to recreate the atmosphere of villages during that period and present our culture, the greatness of our warriors and the historical events that shaped our past. Our promotions are not about creating hype for its own sake. We have presented an honest trailer that reflects the film’s essence. Once audiences enter the theatre, they will be drawn into its world within the first five minutes. This is not merely a collection of rapidly edited scenes; it is a film built around proper storytelling. We designed the action sequences in ‘Ranabaali’ to reflect the violence of that period. The actual events were even more brutal, but we designed the sequences according to the demands of the story. People in those days did not sit down and discuss their differences as we do today. Conflicts often became matters of life and death. This is not a story that can be told softly, nor is it a world that can be portrayed gently. We have not included action sequences merely for the sake of action. Although people were much rougher during that period, we have not depicted the full extent of the violence that existed. The film’s runtime is 2 hours and 50 minutes. My appearance and manner of speaking as Ranabaali will feel natural because Rahul designed the character that way. He has approached the film with a blend of mass appeal and realism. I studied in Puttaparthi for ten years, so I was somewhat familiar with the Rayalaseema dialect. However, I underwent extensive training to get it right for this film. Telangana and Rayalaseema dialects share some similarities, but I practised the dialect and dialogues for two to three months to ensure authenticity. Director Rahul suggested Rashmika for the role of Jayamma, and I also felt she was the right choice. Her name had come up for the female lead in some of my earlier films, but I did not feel she was the right fit for those projects. I wanted our first film together to be something special.‘Ranabaali’ features a strong dramatic and emotional relationship between our characters. Working together has added greater emotional depth to these roles, as our real-life connection also influences how the characters come across on screen. I believe audiences will feel that emotional connection when they watch the film. I worked hard to master the Rayalaseema dialect and train in horse riding for this film. Rahul conducted extensive research to determine how my character should speak. We often see heroes who speak very little, but Ranabaali is different. He speaks forcefully, reflecting the way warriors of that era might have expressed themselves. Rahul was very particular about this aspect of the character. Whenever I act in a film, I approach the character as though it is a part of my real life. Every film I work on affects me personally and changes me in some way. ‘Ranabaali’ has also had a personal impact on me. ‘Ranabaali’ will offer audiences a great cinematic experience and an emotional high. It will keep them engaged from beginning to end. After watching the film, people will walk out of theatres discussing our history and culture. Director Rahul is the heart and soul of this film. The producers and I have contributed our inputs, but Rahul has taken complete responsibility for bringing everything together. He has ensured that every character is perfectly cast. Arnold Vosloo has also delivered a good performance. During my college days, I felt disappointed when I could not watch certain films because of increased ticket prices. As a hero, I do not like ticket price hikes for my films. There will be no ticket price hikes for ‘Ranabaali’ or any of my upcoming films. Unless I work with Rajamouli Garu, we will not increase ticket prices for my films. Rahul Sankrityan is making a film with me set in Rayalaseema, while Ravi Kiran Kola is directing a film set in the Godavari districts. Both directors want to present me as a heroic character while retaining the authenticity of their respective regional dialects. If I get an opportunity to act in a devotional film or a biopic, I will definitely consider it.