Bhairathi Ranagal
Subha J. Rao
The News Minute
Shiva Rajkumar shines in a well-crafted but violent prequel to Mufti
The film, set against the background of iron mining, crafts its own path, cleverly bypassing any comparison to a recent blockbuster franchise that revolves around gold mining.
The trick with a prequel is that you have to impress viewers who have watched the original film, and those who are new to its cinematic world. So, first, a round of congratulations to director Narthan, who charmed in 2017 with his debut Mufti, and now with its prequel Bhairathi Ranagal, starring Shiva Rajkumar, Rahul Bose, Rukmini Vasanth and Chhaya Singh, among others.
Bhairathi Ranagal
Manoj Kumar
Desi Martini, HT Media
Shivarajkumar shines in a predictable origin story
Bhairathi Ranagal is an origin story that explores the transformation of an ordinary man into a feared leader.
Shivarajkumar’s portrayal of Bhairathi Ranagal in the 2017 movie Mufti was a monumental success. His iconic look—featuring coloured khadi vestis and shirts—became a trendsetter, even inspiring Nandamuri Balakrishna’s style in Veera Simha Reddy. It’s no surprise that the filmmakers were tempted to delve deeper into the character and cater to the audience’s appetite for more. After all, the market rarely gets it wrong, right? Fast forward seven years and director Narthan brings us Bhairathi Ranagal, the origin story of this beloved character.