Ranabaali, the prestigious pan-India epic starring Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna, is gearing up for a grand worldwide theatrical release on October 16 during the Vijayadashami festival. Directed by Rahul Sankrityan, the film is being produced on a massive scale by Naveen Yerneni and Y. Ravi Shankar under the Mythri Movie Makers banner and is presented by T-Series.
The first episode of the four-part documentary series, Ranabaali: Never Forget The Truth, titled The Famine We Forgot, began streaming today. The episode sheds light on the tragic famine created during 1876–78 under British rule, which claimed the lives of nearly 10 million Indians. It also reveals how, while Indians were dying of starvation, the British continued transporting enormous quantities of grain to Britain and other regions where they were fighting wars. The episode explains how this forgotten chapter of history was extensively researched and became the foundation for Ranabaali.
Director Rahul Sankrityan, "We have watched hundreds of films about the British Empire and its history, but hardly any of them spoke about this famine. History records the Great Madras Famine of 1876–78, during which nearly 10 million Indians died within two years. At that time, India's population was only around 250–300 million, so the scale of this tragedy is unimaginable. We carried out deep research to understand this incident, visiting collector offices, libraries, old archives, and studying numerous books and government gazettes before bringing it to the screen."
Jayamma aka Rashmika Mandanna, "When I first heard about this famine, it was heartbreaking. I tried to understand the pain and sacrifices of the people who lived through that period and learned what truly happened in history. Opportunities to be part of a film like this come very rarely."
Ranabaali aka Vijay Deverakonda, "While Indians were dying of hunger during this famine, the British were transporting lakhs of tonnes of grain to Britain and other war zones. This horrific incident happened nearly 150 years ago. Even while starving, people were forced to carry grain for the British. We wanted to tell this true story and ensure people remember what really happened. Ranabaali is our tribute to the millions who lost their lives during that famine."
The documentary series will continue with The History We Forgot on September 30 and The Men We Forgot on October 2. The streaming date for the fourth and final episode, The Last Load, will be announced soon.
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