Vijay Deverakonda-Arnold Vosloo's face-off is Ranabaali's biggest moment: Director
Director Rahul Sankrityan revealed that Ranabaali's climactic showdown between Vijay Deverakonda and The Mummy star Arnold Vosloo took 16 days to shoot and is a major highlight of the film.
Actor Vijay Deverakonda's upcoming historical action drama Ranabaali has already generated considerable buzz, especially after the makers cast Hollywood actor Arnold Vosloo as the film's antagonist. Director Rahul Sankrityan has now opened up about working with the The Mummy star and revealed that the film's climactic confrontation between Vijay and Arnold is one of its biggest highlights.
Speaking about the sequence in a press release shared by the film's team, Rahul said the face-off between the two actors required over two weeks of filming and is packed with intense drama. "The climax scene of the film is the highlight. It took us 16 days to shoot, and the drama and chemistry of this scene are crazy," the filmmaker said.
Rahul also spoke about casting Arnold Vosloo, admitting that meeting the veteran Hollywood actor was a surreal experience for him. "We knew that we wanted a strong Hollywood actor for this part, which is inspired by a real character. So we contacted several agencies. We were keen on Arnold because his work in The Mummy is so well known in India and adds a strong nostalgia factor for audiences," he said.
The director added that he was star-struck while interacting with the actor. "It was definitely a moment of being star-struck for me as well, because we have watched his films for so long. I hope that this sentiment resonates with film lovers too," Rahul said.
According to the filmmaker, Arnold was aware of Indian cinema through globally recognised films such as RRR. Rahul recalled that the actor praised Indian filmmakers for their ability to create large-scale cinematic experiences despite limited resources. "He spoke about RRR because it is an Oscar-winning film and people in the West are aware of it. He praised the Indian style of filmmaking and said we make films remarkably well even when resources are limited," Rahul shared.
The director also revealed that Arnold spent nearly six months in India while filming Ranabaali. Based largely in Hyderabad, the actor used his free time to explore the city and visit local temples. "Arnold had some friends in Hyderabad and would explore the city between schedules. He loved the climate and visited many local temples," he said.
Set against the backdrop of the colonial era, Ranabaali is inspired by lesser-known chapters of India's past. The film stars Vijay Deverakonda as a fearless warrior, while Rashmika Mandanna plays his wife, Jayamma.
Directed by Rahul Sankrityan and produced by Y Ravi Shankar and Naveen Yerneni of Mythri Movie Makers in association with T-Series, Ranabaali is slated to release in theatres on September 11, 2026.