‘Ranabaali’ movie review: Vijay Deverakonda, Rashmika Mandanna anchor a history-rich but overstuffed Rayalaseema drama

‘Ranabaali’ movie review: Vijay Deverakonda, Rashmika Mandanna anchor a history-rich but overstuffed Rayalaseema drama center Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna in the film Special Arrangement https://th-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/a0m8by/article71587911.ece/alternates/FREE_1200/RANABAALI-WWM.jpg.jpeg Director Rahul Sankrityan’s Telugu film uses Burra Katha and the 1876-78 famine to give the narrative a fresh look, but some portions struggle under the weight of history, devotion and myth 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.