Ranabaali

For a long time, there has been an overarching image of how Telugu cinema has portrayed the Rayalaseema region, with tales of faction wars and machismo where subtlety is a forgotten trait. Some of these films, blockbusters of the 1990s and 2000s, have become pop culture references. However, a fresh look at this region and its stories was needed. Director Rahul Sankrityan’s Ranabaali, headlined by Vijay Deverakonda and co-starring Rashmika Mandanna, is an attempt in that direction. In this film, too, the leading man is portrayed as a fierce, warrior-like figure. The difference lies in its history-inspired setting, with a mix of folklore. The result is an interesting concoction. Some portions genuinely pique interest in the history and folk tradition of Rayalaseema, while others struggle to rise above the done-to-death mainstream cinema framework.