Vijay Deverakonda wants Ranabaali to offer Indian audiences the kind of historical storytelling they have seen in some of Hollywood's most popular films. The actor recently spoke about his latest release during a promotional event in Vijayawada, where he compared the film to Braveheart, Inglourious Basterds and Schindler's List.
Directed by Rahul Sankrityan, Ranabaali arrived in theatres on October 16. Set in the 1800s, the film follows a man who takes on British rule after his people suffer from a famine caused by colonial policies. Speaking to fans in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, Vijay explained how films from Hollywood had shaped his own hopes as an aspiring actor.
“When I wanted to become an actor, I recalled how they would show us English films like Braveheart and Schindler's List. I watched Inglourious Basterds once I grew up. When I watched these films, I hoped I would make something similar when I became an actor.”
The actor believes Ranabaali brings that kind of storytelling to Indian cinema, while keeping its presentation rooted in the country's own history and culture.
“Ranabaali is our Indian mass-commercial way of telling a Braveheart, Schindler's List, and Inglourious Basterds. This is our history, our culture. It will take you to a whole new world for 2 hours and 50 minutes. This is my guarantee.”
Vijay also spoke about how the film fits into his career so far. Calling himself a fairly new actor, he said the project holds a special place among the films he has made and is one he expects to look back on with pride.
He said, “This is a film I am very proud of. I have a very short career; I'm a fairly new actor. This is my 14th film. Out of the 14 films I have made, Ranabaali is definitely in my top three. Not just today, even after ten years, Ranabaali will stay something I am proud of.”
Produced by Mythri Movie Makers in collaboration with T-Series, Ranabaali also features Arnold Vosloo and Easwari Rao in key roles. The film marks the third on-screen collaboration between Vijay and Rashmika Mandanna, following Geetha Govindam (2018) and Dear Comrade (2019). The two actors got married in February this year.
