Ranabaali: Rashmika Walks Away Clean, Leaving VD Behind

Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna's Ranabaali

Ranabaali was expected to give Vijay Deverakonda a much-needed comeback, but the film has turned into another massive setback for him. Despite the hype surrounding his first film with Rashmika Mandanna after their wedding, the period drama has flopped. Ironically, Rashmika escaped unscathed while Vijay Deverakonda faced fresh trolling.

Director Rahul Sankrityan chose a serious subject, set against the Great Madras Famine of 1876-78 and British oppression. Rahul struggled to handle a subject of this scale. Vijay, meanwhile, looked miscast as Ranabaali. His performance felt forced, artificial, and awkward in several places. The constant intensity did little to make the character convincing. No amount of aggressive body language can compensate for weak writing and forced characterization.

Vijay and Rashmika had delivered a blockbuster together in Geetha Govindam, so expectations were high. Vijay was desperately looking for a hit, while Rashmika was enjoying a stupendous pan-India run. Many hoped her good fortune would rub off on her husband. Instead, Ranabaali failed to give Vijay the turnaround he needed. Instead, it put the brakes on her success momentum.

However, Rashmika has emerged from the film without a scratch. Neither audiences nor critics have found a single fault in her performance. She brings warmth to the story and effortlessly balances Jayamma’s innocence with her inner strength. Her scenes with Vijay, especially their ordinary moments of domestic life, offered a welcome break from the film’s over-the-top drama.

While the film faced negative talk and several performances were mocked for going over the top, Rashmika Mandanna remained largely untouched by the backlash. That is her biggest victory in Ranabaali.

But sadly, her presence could not save her husband at the box office. Despite the expectations surrounding their pairing, Ranabaali failed to give Vijay the hit he desperately needed.