Why does Vijay Deverakonda believe Ranabaali will leave a lasting impact?

Vijay said the film and his performance would remain important in his filmography, even after he has made 25–30 films. After watching the final cut, he felt Ranabaali could be one of Telugu cinema’s best films of the year.

What is Ranabaali about?

Set in 19th-century South India during the 1870s famine under British rule, the film follows a warrior who rises to protect his village from British oppression. Vijay Deverakonda plays Ranabaali, while Rashmika Mandanna plays his wife, Jayamma.

Why were Ranabaali ratings and reviews disabled on BookMyShow?

BookMyShow disabled the film’s public ratings and reviews following a Bengaluru court order granting interim relief against allegedly defamatory and false content about Ranabaali. The platform displayed a notice saying the action was taken as per the court order.

Vijay Deverakonda says Ranabaali will be one of the best films of Telugu cinema this year, calls it one such film which will always have an impact

Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna star in the historical drama Ranabaali, directed by Rahul Sankrityan.

Published on: Oct 16, 2026, 20:44:01 IST

By Santanu Das

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Ranabaali has released in theatres today after much anticipation from fans of Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna. The two actors reunited on screen after many years, and Ranabaali marked the first film together for the couple after their marriage. However, Ranabaali received mixed reviews upon release. The cast and crew still did a success meet of the film on Friday evening, where Vijay Deverakonda declared that this will be one of the best in Telugu cinema in 2026. (Also read: Ranabaali movie review: Faction film genre meets colonial trauma in Vijay Deverakonda, Rashmika Mandanna film)

Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna reunited after years for Ranabaali.

What Vijay said

Vijay stood on stage and thanked everyone for supporting the film and giving it so much love. He added, “Yesterday when I saw the film, I felt this will be one of the best films of Telugu cinema this year. I am so proud of this film as I have said earlier ahead of the release. If I have speak about my filmography, this is my 14th film… and I believe that Ranabaali will be one such film which will be important even when I do 25-30 films… that film and that performance that will leave an impact. This is one such film, I knew it yesterday.”

Vijay also remarked that his mother had to be consoled while watching Ranabaali, saying, “I watched the film thrice: twice during editing and once yesterday, when I saw the final cut with CGI and music. But when I watched the scenes yesterday, I was choking up, and my mom broke down sobbing as she sat behind me. I kept telling her, mummy, this is just a movie. But she kept sobbing loudly…we don’t usually cry like that in public. I had to ask Rushi to go sit with her for a while.”

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Meanwhile, a Bengaluru court granted an ex parte interim relief against defamatory and false content about Ranabaali across social media platforms on Friday, right before its release. The reviews and ratings on BookMyShow have since been disabled for the film.

LiveLaw reported that on Friday, a Bengaluru court granted an ex parte interim relief against defamatory and false content about Ranabaali on social media. The order restrained X Corp, YouTube, Google India, BookMyShow, IMDb, Facebook India, Meta platforms and unidentified John Doe defendants from hosting or circulating such content. The platforms were asked not to spread or host content allegedly defamatory or false about the film.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Santanu Das
Santanu Das is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 5 years of experience, writing on films, pop culture and film festivals. He has a keen interest in writing about South Asian independent films and has covered several film festivals, including Sundance and CPH: Docx. He also brings a sharp perspective to the monthly column called The Fault in Our Stars, where he writes about a recent film/series and what stops the ‘good’ from becoming ‘great’. A gold medalist from Banaras Hindu University, Santanu completed his postgraduate studies in English from Jadavpur University. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes-certified film critic. When not watching films or speaking to celebrities, Santanu can be found reading a book. Some of his favourite films are Aparajito, Ponyo and The Double Life of Veronique. His favourite books include The Corrections, The God of Small Things and A Room of One's Own. Santanu continues to write passionately about films and celebrity culture. He brings a relatable, as well as critically informed, lens to entertainment and culture for a wide audience. Find him on LinkedIn: santanudasfilm Instagram: @santupechaRead More

Rashmika Mandanna

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