Ranabaali, starring Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna, is hogging the limelight for its BTS stories. The film’s director Rahul Sankrityan reveals interesting details about what went into designing the lead characters. As part of the documentary series titled Ranabaali – Never Forget The Truth, the third episode, ‘The Men We Forgot’, commenced streaming on YouTube.

Ranabaali inspired by legendary historical warriors

Rahul Sankrityan reveals that the character of Ranabaali (played by Vijay Deverakonda) was inspired by several legendary historical warriors from Rayalaseema who fought for the motherland. “Rayalaseema is a land that has given birth to many brave warriors. The heroic stories of Seema Palegars such as Budda Vengal Reddy, Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy and Gadekal Bobbili Nagireddy continue to be narrated through traditional ballads even today.”

The director added that the people from the region take pride when they recall the sacrifices and courage of the legendary warriors. “The idea of Ranabaali story began taking shape when I first heard about Gadekal Bobbili Nagireddy. He was known for riding horses and was even believed to communicate with the gods. Nagireddy was assassinated as a result of conspiracies,” shared the director.

Son of the soil (Rayalaseema)

Ranabaali is inspired by the devastating Great Madras Famine of 1876–1878 under British colonial rule. During the director’s research regarding the period of the great famine, he came across the story of warrior Budda Vengal Reddy. “He sold all his assets and established gruelling centres, and saved the lives of scores of people. Similarly, Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy fought against the British and became a formidable force,” the director shares, describing them as inspiring stories from the region.

He concluded, “I also hail from the Rayalaseema region. During my childhood, I witnessed many people displaying extraordinary courage and determination for the society’s good. These warriors were known for their bravery and fearlessness. I drew inspiration from them while designing the character of Ranabaali.”

Also Read: Endhayya Saami: Ranabaali’s song explores slow-burn romance between Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika

Captain Smit Machchhar is being hailed globally as a ‘hero’ after surviving and subduing a mid-air cockpit attack on a Flydubai Flight, FZ1073.  While accolades keep pouring in for his bravery, members from the film fraternity join hands in appreciating him. Bollywood Baadshah Shah Rukh Khan lauded Machchhar’s efforts saying that he stood strong when it mattered the most.

Shah Rukh Khan praised Machchhar

According to Shah Rukh Khan, Smit Machchhar showed great resilience and resolve during the most crucial time. He added that it’s not easy to stare adversity in the face and put one’s safety on the line. “But you did just that to protect those onboard and showed us what being a Captain entails,” shared Shah Rukh Khan. The superstar further described Machchhar’s act as a ‘true display of courage and duty.’ On a concluding note, noting that the country is proud of him, the actor wished the pilot a speedy recovery.

Machchhar’s heroics

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Co-starring Ruaridh Mollica and Todd Stashwick, Vision Quest promises a new style in MCU storytelling. Showrun by Terry Matalas (Star Trek: Picard), with a strong cast and a surreal, AI-focused tone, it builds on the inventive style of the earlier trilogy entries.

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