Rahul Sankrityan on real-life inspiration behind Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna starrer ‘Ranabaali’: 'History exists in many forms’

Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna will return to the big screens together after their marriage in the upcoming period action drama, ‘Ranabaali’ directed by Rahul Sankrityan. Recently, the director shared some insights about the film and talked about the various sources of inspiration for the film.

‘Ranabaali’ rooted in Rayalaseema

As per a CineExpress report, Rahul Sankrityan shared that the story mainly takes place in Rayalaseema. The director said the film is based on real events. He said, “History exists in many forms, not just in books, but in the stories passed down in villages and rituals.”





The filmmaker shared that he wanted to show stories that people do not know much about. The film talks about struggle, tradition and strong people from the past.

Research Rahul Sankrityan did for ‘Ranabaali’

Rahul Sankrityan shared that he worked very hard on this story. He spoke to historians and poets. He also checked many old records. He said, “The Madras Presidency, which included present-day Chennai, Telugu-speaking regions and Bengaluru, has its own untold stories of struggle and resilience.”



The filmmaker also visited villages. One special moment came when he saw an old ritual in his father’s village. He said, “That moment stayed with me and eventually inspired the climax of the film.”

The film also stars Arnold Vosloo in an important role. The director believes people now want new stories. He said, “Viewers are drawn to spectacle, fantasy epics and larger-than-life stories rooted in history and mythology.” He also added, “That old tendency of always looking to the West for validation is slowly fading.”

Talking about the film, it is a period action drama. It is set in the 19th century in South India.

Vijay Deverakonda will be seen playing the titular role of ‘Ranabaali’, meanwhile, Rashmika Mandanna will be playing Jayamma as his character’s wife.

‘Ranabaali’ is set to release on September 11, 2026.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”