After a successful theatrical run, ‘Rao Bahadur’ is now available on OTT for streaming. Directed by Venkatesh Maha, the movie has Satyadev (Satya Dev Kancharana) as the titular character Ramappa Rao Bahadur. In the psychological period drama, the 37-year-old Satyadev seamlessly embodies a 60-year-old nobleman. The actor received high appreciation for his work from critics and audience alike. However, did you know that the first time he heard the story, he “was in absolute shock.”“The character of Rao Bahadur is so utterly difficult and daring that I couldn’t bring myself to say yes immediately,” said Satyadev in an exclusive conversation with us.
‘Rao Bahadur’: Satyadev Kancharan took his time to understand the story and his character
“I needed a moment to process the sheer scale of what was being asked of me. But it stayed with me. Within seconds of letting it sink in, the excitement took over,” said Satyadev before adding, “I called Venkatesh Maha and told him, ‘We are doing this.’ It’s the kind of film that grows on you, challenges your sensibilities, and forces you to ask deeper questions.”When asked if Satyadev knew this story would pull the audience to the theatres, he said, “I was convinced of one thing: I wanted to give the audience something they simply could not ignore.”He continued, “In today’s cinematic landscape, if you want to pull people out of their homes and into the theatres, you have to offer them an experience no one else has ever dared to try. I trusted that if we went all out with absolute conviction, the audience would appreciate the audacity of the attempt.
Satyadev on the challenges of doing ‘Rao Bahadur’
“This character demanded an immense amount of physical and mental energy,” said the actor before detailing, “We shot for 85 days, working 17-hour days, and a massive chunk of that time went into just getting into character.”Elaborating on the whole process, he added, “I had to sit straight for five hours every single day for intensive prosthetic makeup, not to mention enduring incredibly heavy, restrictive costumes.”“Honestly, I never thought I had the patience to sit still for five hours straight. Going through that gruelling process actually made me respect my own craft more; it made me appreciate the depth of dedication I was capable of bringing to a role. It was exhausting but profoundly transformative,” he confessed.
Satyadev says ‘Rao Bahadur’ is a love letter to the Telugu audience
Towards the end of the conversation, the actor poured his heart out and said, “This film is, at its core, a love letter to the Telugu audience.”“We didn’t set out to just make another movie; we wanted to push the boundaries and raise the standard of excellence across every single department, from technical craft to performance. I truly believe we have created something that will be celebrated for a long time. I hope that the industry and the audience embrace and celebrate this film, because that is the only way we will pave the path for more courageous, audacious storytelling in Telugu cinema,” he concluded.‘Rao Bahadur’ is now streaming on Netflix.
