Ranabaali teaser: Vijay Deverakonda takes on British oppression in Rahul Sankrityan’s period drama

The teaser of Rahul Sankrityan’s much-awaited period drama Ranabaali was unveiled on Wednesday, offering a glimpse into a story of famine, colonial oppression and resistance in 19th-century South India.

Starring Vijay Deverakonda, Arnold Vosloo and Rashmika Mandanna in the lead roles, the film is set between 1876 and 1878 and centres on a man who rises against the British rule that pushes his people towards starvation.

Ranabaali teaser out

The two-minute teaser opens against the backdrop of the famine of 1876-78, stating that “eight million Indian lives were lost under British rule”.

Vosloo plays Sir Theodore Hector, who rules the then-Madras constituency with an iron fist. The teaser depicts how he controls the supply of rice and other grains, rationing food to such an extent that people in the region begin dying of hunger.

Vijay’s character, Ranabaali, eventually rises against the oppression. As he takes on the British and strikes fear among them, he is branded a “savage”. The teaser shows him fighting violently to free his people from colonial rule.

Rashmika plays Jayamma, Ranabaali’s wife, who is also among those affected by the famine and the oppressive regime.

Sharing the teaser, production house Mythri Movie Makers wrote, “They buried the story. They erased the name. They erased their sins. But they could never bury his RAGE. Folklore and History will never forget. RANABAALI. THE SAVAGE’S OATH.”

Vijay also shared the teaser on social media, writing, “#NeverForget The Men who came as guests and stayed as oppressors. The Men in our villages, who decided to draw blood. 'The Savage's Oath'.”

The teaser has generated excitement among fans, with several hoping the film could mark a turnaround for Vijay after his recent releases struggled at the box office.

Directed by Sankrityan, Ranabaali is scheduled to hit theatres on October 16.

Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna reunite after years

Ranabaali marks the return of Vijay and Rashmika as an on-screen pair after several years. The two previously starred together in Geetha Govindam (2018) and Dear Comrade (2019), becoming one of the popular pairings in Telugu cinema.

The actors did not share the screen again for several years despite being approached for other projects. They later got engaged in Hyderabad in October 2025, though they did not officially confirm the relationship at the time despite being spotted wearing engagement rings.

The couple confirmed their engagement shortly before their wedding in Udaipur in February 2026.

Ranabaali will therefore be their first film together in years and their first release following their marriage.

Vijay also has Rowdy Janardhana in the pipeline, while Rashmika is set to appear in Mysaa. She recently suffered a hip injury while shooting for the latter but has since returned to work and completed her schedule for Ranabaali ahead of its theatrical release.

Whether Ranabaali becomes the comeback Vijay’s fans are hoping for remains to be seen.