Rana Naidu review: Netflix is back with another re-imagined action crime drama in Rana Daggubati and Venkatesh Daggubati starrer Rana Naidu. Based on the 2013 series Ray Donovan, the dark, brooding tale by Karan Anshuman and Suparn Verma, vacillates between the bylanes of Hyderabad and Mumbai and is largely a compelling watch due to the electrifying chemistry between Rana and Venkatesh in their debut appearance on screen together. However, Rana Naidu is not easy to the eyes.
Rana Naidu premise
Rana Naidu follows the life of the eponymous character, essayed by Rana Daggubati, who can ‘fix’ any problems in Bollywood. While a devoted father to his children and a loving husband to his wife Naina (Surveen Chawla), the secrets of his ‘job’ often cause a rift between the two. And things only get more complicated when Rana’s father Naga Naidu (Venkatesh Daggubati), comes back to his life in Mumbai, suddenly released from his Hyderabad prison five years before the completion of his sentence. Entwined in a complicated past shared between Rana and Naga, the series takes a more sinister turn as chapters unfold.
Rana Naidu review
What makes Rana Naidu – both a riveting, and highly disturbing watch – is that none of the characters have seemingly redeeming qualities. It is difficult to root for the archetypal good or bad guy, with one left wondering by the very end, if the entire concept of righteousness as opposed to wickedness (for a lack of better term) can be delegated to the premise offered in Rana Naidu. While Rana, the seeming hero of our Mumbai-Hyderabad saga slips into a darker, more brooding avatar as the story unravels – going to any extent for the men he works for – Naga, the quintessential bad guy, having served his prison sentence for 15 years following murder, emerges in better light.
And making that entire dichotomy possible and extremely plausible is the cackling chemistry shared by Venkatesh Daggubati and real-life nephew Rana Daggubati. Both stalwarts on screen, the two sizzle whenever they share a scene – with an electrifying performance ensured.
However, what does not work is the length of the sordid tale in itself. There are seemingly too many plot points left unanswered and the denouement seems rushed. Perhaps an episode or two on the chopping table could have worked wonders. What Rana Naidu lacks is brevity.
Rana Naidu through characters
Rana Daggubati as the eponymous character is perfect. He brings to the screen that perfect amount of smoldering broodiness, and menace that the character demands. And yet at moments of interaction with his brothers (Jaffa and Tej essayed by Abhishek Banerjee and Sushant Singh) or his wife and children, his vulnerability shines.
Venkatesh Daggubati as the wronged father, at loggerheads with his son who ruined his life, is exceptional. The actor brings about a certain tenderness to his character and you cannot help but root for his roguishness even at moments you know he is in the wrong.
Abhishek Bannerjee’s Jaffa, burdened by the trauma of childhood rape at the hands of a godman does a tremendous job of portraying a man fighting his demons, while Sushant’s muted performance as the elder brother Tej is noteworthy. Mention must be made of Surveen Chawla who holds on to her own during scenes with both Rana and Venkatesh. Ashish Vidyarthi, a surprise entry towards the end, chills you with his macabre attitude and Gaurav Chopra as the superstar Prince, who in many ways, is the precursor to the whole story, manages to be the perfect foil to the toxic plot.
Rana Naidu in conclusion
An intriguing watch, Rana Naidu is a sordid tale in 10 chapters that will leave you conflicted, unsatisfied, and yet oddly craving for more. A pure dramatic entertainer that helps Rana Daggubati and Venkatesh Daggubati shine like never before, Rana Naidu is a resplendent look at the underbelly of Mumbai, but above all is a love story in acting – courtesy Rana Daggubati and Venkatesh Daggubati.
