Vijay Deverakonda interview: Rashmika can switch off from work, I can’t

In the Telugu period drama Ranabaali, releasing on October 16, Vijay Deverakonda plays Singanamalla Bobbili Ranabaali, a fictional chieftain inspired by the legends of three palegars from the Rayalaseema region. Directed by Rahul Sankrityan and set during the Great Madras Famine of 1876-78, the film is also Vijay’s first project with Rashmika Mandanna since their wedding early this year.

When he sits down for an interview at a studio in Hyderabad, Vijay reveals that when Rahul pitched the story of Ranabaali, he had incidentally been hooked on to Empire, the podcast by Anita Anand and William Dalrymple. “I learnt so much. I was deeply moved, enraged, and also wondered how we do not know enough about the consequences of the British East India Company exercising political control over our country. I remember reading about the Battle of Plassey in school, but the focus was on memorising dates of key battles rather than understanding how these battles shaped our history.”

Ranabaali takes a closer look at what happened during the famine. “Different accounts state that we have lost several lakhs of people; our natural wealth and food were plundered,” says Vijay. The film’s team released a four-episode short video series, Never Forget, explaining the history and the film’s context. 

Vijay describes how Rahul pored over gazettes and books across Mysuru, Ballari, Chennai and Coimbatore. “We hope this film sparks conversations about the period,” says Vijay, whose character is an amalgamation of three palegars. “The story begins and ends with my character, and we look at the famine, the British officers, their policies and conflicts. With the vast information available, we had to briefly summarise certain incidents.”

The Rayalaseema flavour

Vijay asserts that the film’s biggest strength is Rahul, who hails from the Rayalaseema region. The film’s promos offer glimpses into the folk art form burra katha, through which stories of chieftains are narrated. References also came from Braveheart for his characterisation. “Rahul mentioned Braveheart a few times, but I did not revisit the film so as not to be influenced by it.”

Dressed in handwoven whites throughout the film, Vijay says the attempt has been to keep the portrayals and milieu as authentic as possible. “A lot of research went into the ornamentation, architecture and depiction of people in the region. We took a few liberties,” he says, and explains how instead of showing women sporting oiled hair and blouses that reach their wrists, the look of the women was tweaked to a later period. “Right from how the men twirl their moustache, everything was planned. Rahul kept asking for retakes when I couldn’t spit water like a fountain. Finally, I asked him to show it,” he says with a laugh.

This is the first time Vijay is shedding his urban image. “A film and a character like this require maturity, both physically and as an actor. I was ready when this film came my way. I am confident that we will be able to transport the audience to that world. And, Rahul has named Rashmika’s character after his mother, Jayamma.”

Vijay, who has predominantly spoken the Hyderabadi Telangana accent, took the help of a diction coach to learn the Rayalaseema dialect. For about three months prior to shooting, he practiced the dialogues, alongside horse riding. “During the first week on set, it was still a conscious effort. After that, I eased into the dialogue delivery with minor modulation corrections. A month into the shoot, the dialect came naturally to me; I could accommodate impromptu changes in the lines.”

In comparison, Rashmika approached Ranabaali with an advantage of having spoken the Chittoor dialect in the Pushpa films. “Since she has been juggling multiple films, she did not have much time to prepare. As she is not a native Telugu speaker, she did not have to struggle to shed one dialect to pick up another,” Vijay explains. “She likes to be spontaneous. While dubbing, she had to make that extra effort to finetune a few things.”

The wedding photo

Ranabaali brings Vijay and Rashmika together after Geetha Govindam (2018) and Dear Comrade(2019). The first day they shot together for Ranabaali was for the now-famous wedding photograph scene. Vijay recalls, “We were already engaged then. She walked in dressed like a bride. I was preoccupied on set, but couldn’t help appreciating how beautiful she looked. Rahul showed us an old photograph and wanted us to recreate that look. It looked authentic. It captured the era, and the mood of the couple who did not know each other before marriage. It also captured how they did not know how to pose for the camera. When Rahul said he wanted that image to be the film’s first look, I wasn’t sure. But he knew it would work.”

Working with Rashmika post marriage, Vijay says, has been quite different from working with her on Dear Comrade. “She has this ability to switch off from work once we are home, while I keep thinking and speaking about cinema. She reminds me to disconnect and have a life.”

Social media chatter

As the release day draws closer, there is an obvious buzz surrounding Ranabaali. Of late, there have also been discussions about the nature of social media chatter, with a few actors voicing what they think is an orchestrated campaign to derail a film or an actor. Vijay, too, was vocal about targeted social media attacks during a media interaction following the trailer launch. 

When asked, Vijay affirms that he does not want to complain or play the victim. He understands that appreciation and criticism are an integral part of the journey. However, he is aware that social media narratives cannot be ignored, and says it becomes imperative “to deliver an extraordinary film. We cannot get away with a reasonably good film. I am so thankful that each time my film is released, people turn up in large numbers in theatres on the opening day. Many of them are the silent lot, who may not be too vocal on social media unless they absolutely love my film and want everyone to watch it. Meanwhile, those who are attacking the film have a field day.”

Actors Sundeep Kishan and Nani are among those who have voiced concerns over social media campaigns in recent weeks. 

Fan club wars are not new. What has changed is how the algorithm-driven nature of social media amplifies these comments, which are invariably shared even among those who may not be too active on social media.

The topic of social media narratives warrants an in-depth discussion, but Vijay also points out how films can travel far and wide. He cites an example of how Rashmika was surrounded by admirers during a trip to Thailand. “We were surprised when a group of Thai women surrounded her. They had watched her in The Girlfriend. Our work is getting recognised beyond borders, and we are grateful. What cinema needs now is to think beyond pulling each other down. There is intense competition between film industries here. While we fight, who stands to gain? The Hollywood films end up having a dream run.”