Vijay Deverakonda and director Rahul Sankrityan have teamed up for the second time after “Taxiwaala”. Their latest film, “Ranabaali”, has been generating buzz with its promotional campaign. However, the film has also been facing negative campaigns on social media even before its release, something Vijay Deverakonda himself acknowledged at the trailer launch event.
Vijay Deverakonda has been a target of criticism and online negativity from a section of social media users for a long time. But “Ranabaali” now needs to overcome this negativity and emerge as a major box-office success, particularly given its mammoth production budget.
Vijay Deverakonda has considerable star power and enjoys a strong following among the youth. However, his recent films have not delivered box-office results commensurate with his popularity and market potential. Despite his recent box-office setbacks, his films continue to be mounted on a lavish scale, partly on the strength of the OTT market. But digital rights alone may not be enough to ensure profitability when a film is made on such a massive budget.
“Ranabaali”, a period drama set during British rule, has been mounted on a grand scale by Rahul Sankrityan. The elaborate sets, visual effects and supporting cast, which includes Hollywood actor Arnold Vosloo of “The Mummy” fame, have added significantly to the production costs. The remunerations of Vijay Deverakonda and leading lady Rashmika Mandanna are also understood to account for a substantial portion of the budget.
Given this scale of investment, the film needs to generate substantial theatrical revenue to become a commercial success. That is the big challenge facing both Vijay Deverakonda and Rahul Sankrityan. They must deliver a film that connects with audiences and translates the pre-release buzz into strong ticket sales.
The film also faces competition from Rajinikanth’s “Jailer 2”, adding another factor to its box-office prospects.
Produced by Mythri Movie Makers, “Ranabaali” is scheduled for release on October 16, 2026.