Entertainment · Indian Cinema · 1 hr ago
Benedict Garrett discusses his role as a British coloniser in Ranabaali
Benedict Garrett plays a British coloniser in Ranabaali, an upcoming Telugu film directed by Rahul Sankrityan.
The film stars Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna.
Its story explores a famine in 19th-century India, when grain was exported while people in Andhra Pradesh starved.
Garrett says the role was especially cruel and that some of the character’s actions nearly made him cry.
He has lived in India since 2022 and says he feels responsible for helping tell Indian stories from an Indian perspective.
He also describes adjusting to Telugu film sets without knowing the language, though his lines in Ranabaali are in English.
The film’s trailer includes violent scenes, which Garrett says reflect the violence of the period it portrays.
Benedict Garrett plays a British coloniser in Rahul Sankrityan’s upcoming film Ranabaali.
The film explores a famine in 19th-century India linked to colonial rule and starvation in Andhra Pradesh.
Garrett says the role’s cruel actions were challenging and at one point almost made him cry.
He says he feels responsible for helping portray Indian stories from India’s perspective.
Garrett says his lines in Ranabaali are in English.
- Who
- British-born actor Benedict Garrett plays a British coloniser. Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna are also in the film.
- What
- Ranabaali explores a famine caused by colonial rule in 19th-century India.
- When
- Not stated. The film is described as upcoming.
- Where
- The famine’s effects are explored in Andhra Pradesh, India.
- Why
- The film addresses a man-made famine in which grain was exported from India while locals starved.
Some viewers critical of the trailer’s violence
Benedict Garrett
Trailer violence
Some viewers critical of the trailer’s violence
Some people said the visuals were unnecessary or too violent.
Benedict Garrett
Garrett said the film depicted a violent time and asked whether its violence was worse than the violence of reality.
Garrett says his time in India has taught him more about colonial rule than most Britishers are taught at school.
Garrett says an earlier chance to work with Vijay Deverakonda fell through.
- Actor
- Benedict Garrett
- Film
- Ranabaali
- Director
- Rahul Sankrityan
- Setting
- 19th-century India; famine and starvation in Andhra Pradesh
- Garrett’s lines
- English
What people are saying
I feel a sense of responsibility to India and the film industry to help portray some of her stories from her own perspective.
But there was one time I almost started crying because of the things my character had to do; it was quite traumatic.
The British did do some despicable and nasty things. So, what’s worse, the violence in the film, or the violence of reality?
Sources
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