Key Highlights

  • Censor cleared: Ranabaali has received a U/A certificate from the CBFC.
  • Release: October 16, 2026, worldwide; bookings have opened.
  • The couple: Vijay Deverakonda plays Ranabaali; Rashmika Mandanna plays his wife, Jayamma.
  • The villain: Hollywood actor Arnold Vosloo, known for The Mummy, plays Sir Theodore Hector.
  • The setting: A period action drama set between 1854 and 1878, during British rule.

Director Rahul Sankrityan’s period drama Ranabaali, starring Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna, has been cleared for release with a U/A certificate by the Central Board of Film Certification. The film releases worldwide on October 16, and advance bookings are now open.

Announcing the update, producers Mythri Movie Makers wrote, “A story that survived generations. A legend that deserves to be witnessed... #Ranabaali — U/A Certified. Book your tickets. Witness the legend.”

The film was originally scheduled for September 11.

Why It Matters: A Reel Couple, Now Real

Ranabaali is Vijay and Rashmika’s third film together, after Geetha Govindam and Dear Comrade. But it is the first since the two married in February 2026 in Udaipur. Fans who followed their on-screen chemistry for years will now see them play husband and wife on screen, as a couple in real life too.

The film also arrives on a wave of goodwill. Just this week, Rashmika announced she has adopted 400 families for grocery support, saying her character Jayamma inspired her, and Vijay shared a warm meeting with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and actor Thalapathy Vijay.

The Story

Set in the 19th century, Ranabaali is based on real historical events between 1854 and 1878, including the period of the Madras famine of 1876–78. Vijay plays Ranabaali, a warrior who fights British rule.

According to sources, the film is not a biopic or a textbook retelling, but a cinematic reconstruction drawn from multiple real accounts, oral histories and records. The makers say it aims to bring to light incidents they believe were left out of, or misrepresented in, mainstream history.

A Hollywood Villain

South African-born actor Arnold Vosloo, best known for playing the villain in The Mummy, plays the antagonist, Sir Theodore Hector, adding international flavour to the cast.

Cast and Crew

Role Name
Director Rahul Sankrityan
Ranabaali Vijay Deverakonda
Jayamma Rashmika Mandanna
Sir Theodore Hector Arnold Vosloo
Producers Naveen Yerneni, Y. Ravi Shankar (Mythri Movie Makers)
Presenter T-Series

The Bottom Line

With a censor certificate in hand and a real-life couple in the lead, Ranabaali is ready to bring its 19th-century story to the big screen on October 16.

With inputs from IANS.