Archive · 10 Sep 2026
Ranabaali Revisits the Great Madras Famine and Colonial Resistance
Ranabaali is a film set in southern India during a terrible famine in the 1870s.
Vijay Deverakonda plays a warrior named Ranabaali.
Rashmika Mandanna plays Jayamma, his wife and ally.
The story shows them trying to protect their community from hunger and British colonial rule.
The famine began after droughts destroyed crops and food became scarce.
Historians also argue that government decisions about trade, taxes and relief made the suffering worse.
Millions of people are estimated to have died, although historians disagree about the exact number.
The film presents local resistance as a fight for survival and dignity.
It is scheduled to be released in cinemas on October 16, 2026.
Ranabaali stars Vijay Deverakonda as a rebellious warrior protecting his people during the 1870s famine.
Rashmika Mandanna plays Jayamma, Ranabaali’s wife and companion in his struggle against colonial rule.
The film draws on the Great Madras Famine of 1876-78, which devastated southern and western India.
Historians debate whether drought alone caused the famine, with colonial trade, taxation and relief policies also criticised.
Directed by Rahul Sankrityan, the film is scheduled for theatrical release on October 16, 2026.
- Who
- Vijay Deverakonda, Rashmika Mandanna, Arnold Vosloo and the filmmakers behind Ranabaali.
- What
- A historical film about a warrior resisting colonial authority while protecting his community during a devastating famine.
- When
- The story is set in the 1870s; the film is scheduled for release on October 16, 2026.
- Where
- Southern India, including the Rayalaseema region of the former Madras Presidency.
- Why
- The film uses the Great Madras Famine of 1876-78 to explore hunger, colonial policies, resistance and survival.
Drought-Centered Explanation
Colonial-Policy Explanation
Cause of the famine
Drought-Centered Explanation
Drought and failed monsoons destroyed crops, reduced food supplies and weakened agricultural communities.
Colonial-Policy Explanation
Historians cited in the article argue that colonial trade and revenue policies worsened the crisis, including the continued export of grain.
Government response
Drought-Centered Explanation
Colonial administrators argued that market forces should determine food distribution and that extensive intervention could create dependence on relief.
Colonial-Policy Explanation
Critics argue that the hands-off approach and austerity measures limited assistance when people were starving.
Local resistance
Drought-Centered Explanation
British officials often described grain seizures, tax challenges and uprisings as criminal or rebellious acts.
Colonial-Policy Explanation
Rayalaseema folklore remembers many participants as ordinary people defending their communities during extreme hardship.
- Film
- Ranabaali
- Historical setting
- The Great Madras Famine of 1876-78
- Lead character
- Vijay Deverakonda as Ranabaali
- Female lead
- Rashmika Mandanna as Jayamma
- Estimated deaths
- Accounts cited in the article range from four to five million to more than 10 million; the trailer says eight million.
- Regional death estimate
- Nearly seven lakh people are estimated to have died in Rayalaseema.
- Release date
- October 16, 2026