Ranabaali trailer: Vijay Deverakonda takes on the British, film arrives October 16

Vijay Deverakonda turns warrior against British rule in the Ranabaali trailer, now out ahead of the period drama's October 16 release.

Running close to four minutes, the cut shows him as a fierce fighter who stands up to the British and questions their cruelty. Rashmika Mandanna plays the female lead, while Arnold Vosloo comes in as the villain. Rahul Sankrityan directs, Mythri Movie Makers produce, and Ajay-Atul have scored the music.

Sharing the trailer, the makers called it a tale kept alive through generations of folklore, one that "deserves to be told right", and promised to bring it to the biggest screens across the world.

Casting Vosloo is part of a bigger bet for the director. In a recent interview, Sankrityan said a senior Hollywood technician agreed to come on board as soon as he heard the Ranabaali script, and that the warm response from Hollywood artists and technicians surprised even him.

"Indian cinema is going to go beyond pan-Indian," he said. He expects India and Hollywood collaborations to become normal soon, most likely after SS Rajamouli's Varanasi releases.