Ranabaali review: Vijay Deverakonda’s period drama earns 2.75/5

Ranabaali review: what works

Vijay Deverakonda’s Ranabaali opened in cinemas on October 16, 2026, carrying a rare period-action promise. Directed by Rahul Sankrityan and backed by Mythri Movie Makers through producers Naveen Yerneni and Y. Ravi Shankar, the film puts Vijay in the role of Singanamala Bobbili Ranabaali, a rebel who becomes a problem for British generals in the 1860s Madras Presidency. Rashmika Mandanna plays Jayamma, and Arnold Vosloo is among the supporting names.

123telugu.com’s review gives the film a 2.75/5. That score is not a rejection. The reviewer credits Sankrityan for bringing the famine to the screen and lets the first half build some real momentum. The Jayamma chapter is the emotional anchor, with Rashmika bringing an innocence that softens Vijay’s stone-hearted rebel, and the interval block arrives with enough charge to keep the audience interested.

Where Ranabaali drifts

The review’s central complaint is that the powerful intent behind the story does not translate into a strong finish. After the interval, the film starts moving through familiar British-backdrop territory. The twists come, but by then the engagement has started to dip. The action sequences in the later half repeat their beats, and the background score is called out as a letdown, even if Ajay-Atul’s songs have their charm. Some sound-mixing issues also soften scenes that were meant to land as high points.

The edit earns a direct note. Karthika Srinivas R could have trimmed at least 20 minutes, the review argues, and a shorter cut might have made the premise feel sharper. The language choice adds another bump: British generals speaking Telugu feels uncomfortable, especially since the team had suggested a more organic approach during promotions.

• Rating: 2.75/5
• Director: Rahul Sankrityan
• Cast: Vijay Deverakonda, Rashmika Mandanna, Arnold Vosloo
• Music: Ajay-Atul
• Main issue: Predictable second half, repetitive action, lengthy runtime

Should you buy a ticket?

For Vijay and Rashmika fans, the review says there is a clear reason to go: the central romance and the first half deliver. The production values are a genuine plus point. Mythri Movie Makers has spent on the period world, and the cinematography by Jishnu Bhattacharjee and Nirav Shah gives the film a grand, polished look.

But if you are expecting a war drama that builds to an unavoidable climax, the 2.75/5 verdict is a warning. The famine is a fresh and important subject, but a predictable second half, a lengthy runtime, and a weak background score keep Ranabaali from becoming the event it could have been.

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