Ranabaali, Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna’s new period action drama, opened in theatres on October 16, and the first reactions are not pointing in one direction. Nine early responses gathered by Pinkvilla show a film that is being praised in parts and questioned in others.
What the first viewers are saying
The conversation after the first shows is split between spectacle and screenplay. Some viewers described Vijay’s turn as a career-best, with the interval fight singled out as a goosebumps moment. The song Edhandhaya Saami was called the film’s biggest highlight and part of what feels like a strong comeback for the actor.
Other posts were far less convinced. Several viewers said the film has scale, real locations and a solid premise but loses its grip through a tedious screenplay, sluggish pacing and weak background music. A repeated complaint was that the stunning visuals and elaborate sets could not make up for flat performances and a missing emotional core.
- Praise: Vijay Deverakonda’s performance, the interval fight and the song Edhandhaya Saami.
- Criticism: tedious screenplay, sluggish pacing, weak background music and little emotional depth.
- Mixed: director Rahul Sankrityan’s research and real locations, undercut by half-baked writing and unnecessary scenes.
The film behind the debate
Directed by Rahul Sankrityan, Ranabaali is a period action drama that also features Arnold Vosloo, known to audiences from The Mummy, in a co-lead role. The story is set against the Great Madras Famine of 1876-1878 and follows Singanamala Bobbili Ranabaali, a warrior born under a prophecy in the hills of Rayalaseema.
He grows into a skilled horseman, marries Jayamma, and leaves a peaceful village life behind when famine and the greed of colonial rulers devastate his land. The ruthless officer Sir Theodore Hector becomes the threat that pushes him into resistance, with his wife standing beside him. That mix of history, prophecy and rebellion is exactly the kind of canvas that needs both scale and emotional pull to work.
Why the split matters
Ranabaali is being watched closely as a comeback vehicle for Vijay Deverakonda. The praise for Vijay, Rashmika Mandanna and the supporting cast gives the film something to build on. But the repeated criticism of pacing and emotional connection is the kind of word of mouth that can slow a big-screen period drama over the weekend. Opening-day reactions often decide whether fence-sitters book a ticket.
For fans who have waited for Vijay to return to form, the career-best comments are the headline. For the neutral audience, the screenplay complaints are just as loud. Arnold Vosloo’s presence adds an international face that may widen the film’s reach, but it cannot settle that core divide.
Should you book tickets?
If you are going for scale, action, star turns and a big interval moment, the early posts suggest you will find what you came for. If you need a tight screenplay and an emotionally grounded story, keep expectations moderate or wait for more reactions before choosing a show.
Source: PINKVILLA
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